


Thunder (G/T P!Septiplier)

by PlatonicSeptiplier



Series: Chronicles of a Façade [3]
Category: P!Septiplier G/T, Video Blogging RPF, giant/tiny - Fandom
Genre: Aliens, G/T, Gen, Markiplier - Freeform, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Probably fluff and angst, Stranded, Survival, TeamIplier - Freeform, YouTubers - Freeform, giant!markiplier, jacksepticeye - Freeform, space, tiny!jacksepticeye
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-07-04 08:57:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15837993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlatonicSeptiplier/pseuds/PlatonicSeptiplier
Summary: Mark's life has been constructed around harmony and knowing your place. To be a warrior of the Pänthera tribe is an honor, and serving the chieftain means serving your people. But the tranquility of order and peace is shattered when a strange day turns Mark's entire world upside down: he discovers a strange creature that looks just like his people, but... tiny. It looks and walks and acts like them, but Mark must figure out where this strange creature from the sky belongs. Can he find a way to connect with this stranded entity? How long can he keep it a secret before his tribe finds out? And just what mischief could they get into?Contains peril, swearing, and actionBOOK 3





	1. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the peaceful lands of a foreign planet, a young warrior of a great tribe notices an anomaly in the usual harmony of his home; a young astronaut finds himself marooned in a strange new world after surviving a ship crash and must learn to survive.

**Uploading algorithm for extraterrestrial language of planet MTXY-5-C92**

 

**Algorithm at ninety percent completion.**

 

**TRANSLATING...**

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**Translation complete.**

 

Dust kicked up in the air. Drums pounded with their melodic beat. Voices whooped and cheered as feet stamped the ground, and the white sunlight shined down through the gargantuan trees like omnipresent spotlights. The light dappled through the air, and a strange birdlike creature warbled before taking flight.

Deep in the rich, cultural home of an alien planet, a ring of native people stood in a large circle, giving voice to the fight that they were watching at the center of a clearing. The clearing was just on the edge of their tribal home, and beyond stretched a beautiful and lush landscape. Two of the tribe members were circling each other in this ring, their blood heated with the excitement of the duel. Both were male, and one was taller than the other. The taller wore a bracelet adorned with feathers, and fur clothes wrapped around his waist ran down to his shins and was supported by a sleeve around the arm. The belt on his hips was made of a different animal skin, and the buckle was of bone. He wore two wrist gauntlets made of a sturdy silver metal and fur, and he wore a glittering headband of carved metal that wrapped around his right ear. His hair was a curly brown, and his eyes gazed intently at his opponent. His tan skin was covered in green tattoos, some over his face, but most over the rest of his body, with patterns and riveting symbols.

The other was more muscular, and he wore a kilt of animal skin over cloth that covered his right arm and his legs. He wore metal guards over his shins, and a gauntlet with a space for a dagger; the sheath was empty. There was also a belt that ran down alongside his attire, with buckles in the back to hold a quiver; it was empty as well. His left arm was decorated with intricate red tattoos that covered the left side of his chest and down to his wrist with mesmerizing swirls and patterned lines, and his hair was dyed a vibrant red.

Both males were strong, and both watched each other with narrow attentive eyes. They circled in a cautious stance, muscles tensed to react nimbly. Dust and sweat already tattered their bodies, and their broad chests heaved with deep breaths. However, despite the serious impression that an outsider might see, there was a twinkle of playful light in both of their challenging eyes.

The taller suddenly moved. He swiftly ran and jumped, but the other rolled and avoided the kick. The red haired man dodged a right hook and ducked, barreling into the taller man and charging him back. The taller skidded to a halt, keeping upright as the rest of the tribe cheered.

"Come on Tyler!" A young blue haired man yelled. "You've got it!" Tyler charged the red haired man again. He dealt a kick, but it was dodged again. Then they went off into a chain of blows that were mostly dodged, until finally the opponent took a punch to the arm and stumbled back.

"Come on Mark!" A blonde girl shouted. "You can beat him!" The red haired man, Mark, shook his dyed bangs out of his eyes and panted. He ducked another blow and crouched, swiftly sweeping his foot under Tyler's legs and uprooting him. Tyler was flipped off his feet and fell, and Mark immediately tackled him. They wrestled and rolled, and more dust rose up like a nebula. The tribe's excitement grew, and the drums and hearts beat harder. The fight finally ended when Tyler managed to pin Mark down and wrap his legs around his neck, forcing him into submission.

"I yield! I yield," Mark laughed, breathing heavily. Tyler grinned and stepped off him as the tribe applauded. He offered his hand and helped the warrior up.

"You almost had me," he said between heavy breaths. Mark nodded, smiling as he wiped the sweat and dust off his brow.

"Almost. I've come a long way, but I still have plenty to learn," he agreed modestly. Tyler smiled and clapped his shoulder before stepping back and crossing his forearms over his chest. Mark repeated the gesture, bowing, and Tyler turned away from the defeated opponent.

"That's it for this moon," he said loudly to the tribe. They laughed and began to chatter among themselves, delighted by the friendly spar. Tyler walked off with the blue haired boy, and the blonde woman approached Mark as the crowd dispersed.

"Here." She held up a rag. "He nicked you on your shoulder, there was a rock," she murmured. Mark held still as she dabbed at the speck of blood on his broad shoulder. When she was done, he murmured his gratitude.

"Thanks, Amy." She smiled up at him.

"You did great," she told him. "The spars keep getting closer and closer. It's a pity the match doesn't take place in  _fÿre_  though, then you would have a bonus advantage." Mark chuckled lightly, still breathing hard. 

"Nah, that'd make it unfair for him, since his gift lies in the ground and the leaves. I bet he'd still beat me, though... He's taught me a lot," he replied. "But I have a lot more to discover for myself." His eyes scanned their home until he spotted Tyler at the edge of the camp, speaking to his second-in-command. Mark smiled. "He is our chieftain," he added. "And I'm glad the ancestors chose him to lead our people. He's a great man." Charms jingled as the woman raised her hand and brushed it against Mark's cheek.

"You're both great men," she said with a smile.

"Hey Mark, great job!" The chief patroller clapped him on the back as she went by.

"Thanks Kathryn," Mark called after her. Then he smiled at the blonde. "Tyler's a good leader though. I'm honored to follow him." Amy beamed at him, and then she suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Oh!" She took Mark to her tent and ducked inside, and then she reemerge a few seconds later with a large bow and a handful of silver arrows. "Here you are." Mark took the bow and gripped it. The wood was enforced with strong materials that decorated the weapon simply but beautifully. He tested the shimmering string as Amy shoved the arrows back in his quiver, and she stepped back and hummed thoughtfully.

"Hmm... you're missing something," she remarked. Mark smiled and shook his gauntlet. Amy giggled and held up a small silver dagger. But when Mark reached for the tool, Amy jerked it out of reach.

"Amy!" Mark tried to lunge for the dagger, but he ended up doing a complete circle around the woman. Amy laughed and held it behind her back with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Mark grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. She pulled away a bit before conceding and wrapping her arms around him. They kissed.

"Ok fine," Amy decided, handing him the blade. Mark cachinnated and took it.

"Why, thank you milady," he said in a silly voice. He slid the dagger back into its rightful place and sighed contently. "Have you smelled the wind today?" He asked. Amy nodded.

"It's going to rain soon. And then the  _Frösting_ will begin." Mark grunted, agreeing.

"At least we have enough pelts this time. Shall I help you prepare them?" Amy shrugged, smiling.

"If you want," she said coyly. Mark grinned back, and then he looked in Tyler's direction again. "I hope we'll move to the other camp before it does snow," he added. "Last  _Frösting_ , I remember the snow came shin-high before we finally journeyed."

"I'm sure we'll-" Before the small talk could continue, he noticed Amy suddenly looking past him with widening eyes. He turned and followed her gaze, and his eyes too widened. "What the?" Something was falling from the sky, shiny and on fire. It made a strange whistling sound as it fell closer and closer. Others had noticed the anomaly and stopped their regular chores, and they all watched with wide eyes as the strange object fell into the nearby forest and crashed with a boom. The ground shuddered slightly at the impact, and some creatures took flight with shrieks of alarm.

"What was that!?" Mark turned and saw Ethan behind him with wide eyes.

"I've never seen  _skyfÿre_ do that before," Tyler remarked beside him. "That seemed... different, than usual." He frowned and called over a couple of warriors to tell them to go with Ethan and investigate the crash site. "Don't touch anything, just observe and report back," he ordered. They nodded and swiftly followed Ethan off into the wild woods. Amy hugged Mark's arm, still staring at the sky.

"Was that really  _skyfÿre_?" She asked with big eyes full of wonder. Mark tilted his chin and studied the sky.  _Only one? That was unusual._ Normally,  _skyfÿre_ fell in groups of tiny flames, but then again one had actually made it through the atmosphere's blanket.

"I don't know," Mark admitted, "But I guess we'll find out." He looked over at Tyler. "Anything we can do to help?" He asked. He shook his head.

"Just keep up on those furs. I can smell the  _Frösting_ already on its way. It'll be a cold season."  _That's all?_  Mark wondered.  _I'm suppose to just sit here and wait?_ Amy urged him along to her tent. He followed her inside.

"Don't say it," she warned. But Mark said it anyway.

"I just don't think I should be sitting around doing nothing!" He protested. "Shouldn't I go out and help?"

"You can help here." She handed him a furry pelt that needed washing. "And besides, you're our best warrior. If there is something out there, then you will be here, protecting the heart of our home," Amy pointed out. Mark sighed and started cleaning the dried blood off the hide.

"I just hate not being able to help," he mumbled. Amy reached over and touched his hand.

"I know you do," she sympathized, "But sitting around and moping about it won't help. Come on, the sooner we start on these, the sooner  _Jeóbien_ will pass through the sky." At the mention of their sun, Mark passed a glance through the two tent flaps. It was already midday. It wouldn't be much longer before the ball of white fire set. As he set aside a clean pelt and reached for a new one, he uttered a small prayer to one of the gods.

_Panthéos, give them the strength and speed to come home swiftly and safely. Let your paws guide them, and your claws protect them._

 

 

 

Meanwhile, in the heart of the alien forest, Jack's whole world was smoke, numbness, and disorientated pain as he groaned; as soon as the exit hatch to his crashed pod unlocked, he pushed it open and staggered ungracefully into the soft grass. He collapsed on his knees and elbows, coughing as he waved away some smoke.

"Phew!"  _What an entrance!_ Jack sat up and glowered at the defective pod.  _At least I didn't die... yet._ Still recovering himself, Jack climbed in and grabbed his supply bag. There wasn't much, just food and water.  _Shit, no weapons?_  Jack sighed.  _There's only a knife. Stupid community-common supplies... Oh well._  He jumped off and looked around before his eyes suddenly enlarged.

"Whooaa," he breathed. The trees were strangely shaped, arching and curving their branches and trunks at strange angles. The blossoms on these trees were a teal color, and the leaves looked akin to pine. Beneath him, the grass was soft and a pastel blueish green, and it also reached up to his waist; misty fog swirled around him too, spilling around the gargantuan trees and completely enrapturing to the Irishman. The trunks were also tall, arching high above Jack's head like skyscrapers. Jack's breath had left him. "So pretty!" He whispered to himself. He looked around, in awe. There were also some mushroom-looking things growing along the sides of some of the trees, offering blue platforms with orange, glowing undersides. Jack was grinning widely; this place was beautiful!

Letting his curiosity overcome him, Jack stepped away from the crash site and ventured into the gargantuan world. The sun was almost a white color, and its rays shimmered beautifully through the leaf canopy and cloudy fog. Jack's jaw was slacking as he gaped at everything. The oxygen was rich and delicious, and his suit gave him permission to take the helmet off so he could inhale and revel in it; the plants were beautiful, this whole new world was gorgeous!

"Whoa!" Jack jumped when something flew in front of him in a whirl of feathers. It glided onto a tree root and turned to him, chattering. Jack recovered himself and suddenly grinned. "Aww, you look kind of like a penguin!" The bird, about the size of a dog, tweeted at him with strange whistles and took aloft, flitting up into the higher branches. Jack watched it go, smiling as he turned and continued deeper into the forest. He spotted more strange creatures on the way, all of which were much bigger than the average animals. But he never got close enough for any to notice him; better safe than sorry. He saw a creature that looked like a deer, but with longer legs and strange crystals on its shoulders, and wider-spread antlers; a little fawn stumbled after it, a similar copy with swirls in its fur and wide black eyes; more of those strange birds flew overhead, making Jack tense up in surprise as they flew away; he spotted insects with feathers and the physical characteristics of other animals similar to his planet's.

But alas, the sightseeing had to come to an end. Jack noticed the world was starting to get darker, and he sighed. "Right." He looked around for shelter before deciding that one of the trees' gnarly roots would do. He had to dig a little before he could push his lithe body under the large roots, but in the end it was worth it. He curled up in the small pocket of space and hugged his survival bag, wondering what other kind of animals were out there. As it got darker, he noticed the sky getting really moody and darkening the grass.

 _I hope that's just rain._ He remembered a sci-fi movie where the fog was poisonous, but this didn't look malicious. A fork of lightning with soft thunder confirmed his thoughts. He soon, however, noticed that some things were starting to get brighter, despite the darkness, so he sat up and peeked outside. And again, his jaw dropped.

"Holy shit," Jack breathed. The leaves and flowers were glowing! They were a bright cyan that illuminated the darkness and shone despite the foggy mood. Jack smiled. He was already enamored with this world.

_I wish Signe could see this place._


	2. The Night Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Mark is greatly troubled by this potential threat, Jack learns the hard way just how harsh this alien realm is and discovers himself on the verge of death.

"Any word?" Mark asked as the patrol entered the camp.

"Found lots of tracks," Ethan replied, "But I couldn't make any sense of them." Mark blinked.

"What?" Ethan dismissed the rest of the patrol before continuing the conversation.

"Yeah. There were lots of burn marks and stuff from the landing site, small dents in the dirt from some kind of animal prints, stuff like that, but..." Ethan shook his head. "It didn't look like something from the sky, it looked... strange."

"Wh-what does that mean?" Mark wasn't sure what to make of it. "What do you mean, strange? True, we've never actually seen skyfÿre land, but it's all just rock isn't it?"

"That's the thing." Ethan's eyes swept nervously over the camp. "It wasn't rock. It was completely metal, and some sort of black glass." A cold chill ran down Mark's spine.

"Do you mean," he murmured, "That there might be something out there in the woods not of our world? Like, what if it was an egg, and a newly hatched creature is out there right now, unbalancing the Harmony and spreading Chaos?"

"I know, it's bad." Ethan messed with his hair, and he was nodding. "I'm going to talk to Tyler right now. He's probably going to organize a search party first thing in the morning."

"Okay. I think I'll stay up and guard tonight," Mark suggested solemnly, "In case anything goes on. I'll let you know right away when something happens."

"Thanks." Mark nodded and watched the young man walk away. Usually, Ethan was so bright and optimistic, but this news clearly troubled him. It troubled Mark too, as he turned and looked out into the forest. His sharp eyes bore through the oncoming rain and picked warily at the shadows, wondering just what was out there, lurking with a taste for disorder and catastrophy.

He sighed and shook his wet bangs out of his eyes.  _Whatever it is, I hope we find it before it does any real damage._ Above him, thunder clapped with an ominous boom.

 

 

 

The cold was what coerced Jack to wake. He shivered and frowned as his eyes opened, and then he remembered where he was. He let out an anxious sigh and curled up a little tighter, clutching the survival bag. "Jesus, it's freezing on this planet!" He muttered to himself. His lower lip quivered as the Irishman tried to talk himself back into sleep, but at the same time doubt made him wonder.  _Is it too cold? Will it snow? What if I don't wake up?_ This newfound fear made him wide awake. He sat up and tugged on his suit, wishing he could take it off. It was uncomfortable, though he preferred it to perishing in the endless vacuum of deep space.

Finally, he gave in and put the helmet back on. Little lights lit up the screen, and holographic images flashed in front of him. "Hello, Seán William McLoughlin," a voice said mechanically.

"Susan, where am I?"

"Coordinates unknown. Starship pod is two-thousand light years off course. Mapping location now. Permitting the Multi-Lingual Linguistics Translator algorithm, now. Stabilizing core temperature." Jack shivered. The suit hissed softly as he was warmed back up to a more comfortable temperature, but his shoulders weren't shaking from that. Already, he was starting to get claustrophobic, and he closed his eyes tightly and shuddered again. His mind flashed a canvas of darkness and faint lights before his eyes. He couldn't breathe. His breath echoed shallowly against the inside of his helmet, but he managed to clear his mind, count to ten, and slowly relax.

 _It's ok, it's fine. You can do this,_  he told himself. _You had to come here, there was no other choice._ He flinched when lightning suddenly cracked across the sky with its forked fingers. A strange yelp escaped Jack's lips, and he clutched his pack for comfort. And then he had a sudden realization. _I shouldn't be under a tree when there's lightning. What if it catches on fire!? These trees are way too big to not get hit._  And so Jack made a risky decision. He slowly pushed out of the tiny burrow that had been sheltering him, and he climbed out into the illuminated darkness. Rain pattered on his suit and turned his visor into a fish bowl, and Jack had to squint to see anything. Never before had he even imagined that it could rain this hard. Water poured on him as hard as a waterfall might, but with the size of all the plants and animals it made sense.

He chose a direction and walked, wandering further away from the crash site. He kept his head down as the storm whipped at the leaves and began to howl. It whistled through the branches, which despite their breadth creaked and swayed. Jack shivered and clutched his bag; he was grateful for the suit now. But every step he took required much effort. _I should have just found a rock and dug under it!_  But no matter what thought crossed his mind, Jack kept going. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the single thought to keep pushing was forcing him forward. He felt that he had to keep going, to move on and get out of the forest.

Shadows danced across his solar-protected visor as the bioluminescent greenery whipped around Jack, and the Irishman heard another boom of thunder. _Keep moving,_ he told himself.  _Just ignore it and keep going._ But then, through the ruckus of the storm, Jack heard a soft growl. It was a wonder how he heard it, but he suddenly stiffened and became alert. He slowly turned and looked to his left. Nothing. He looked to his right more quickly. Darkness. He shivered and suddenly tried looking up. The only warning he got was, as the lightning flashed, the shiny black-silver of wet feathers and fur, and harsh green-lit eyes in a muscular silhouette that blocked the fork of jumping electrons.

Jack shouted in alarm as the creature snarled and leaped off the branch. He turned to run, but the beast pounced square onto his shoulders, and long, sharp claws dug in as he was brought down. The cold blasted through Jack's body, but he hardly felt it through the blinding pain that ran down his spine and one of his legs. He screamed and rolled away, curling up in agony. The animal jumped back at his strange call and hissed. Jack screamed more as he struggled to get up. He was dimly aware of how hard his body trembled, and as lightning split across the sky again he finally saw the beast.

It was a huge, black cat. Its mane consisted of green, blue, and grey feathers, and its eyes were an electric green color that broke through the darkness. Jack looked on with terror, his breath catching in his throat as he realized that he was face to face with an alien predator. And it looked ready to sink its fangs in him.

The panther-like creature snarled and dug its claws in the dirt. Its muscles rippled under its soaked pelt, and it tensed to pounce again. Jack finally gathered his senses and broke off running, but he forgot the supply bag behind. The panther hardly gave him a headstart before Jack could hear its paws pounding against the ground. Jack panted, shivering as he staggered through the gargantuan forest. Though he was now cold and wet thanks to the large tears in his suit, his back and calf muscle felt extremely warm and sticky.

As Jack glanced over his shoulder to see how close the monstrous cat was, something suddenly snagged his foot. With a harsh jerk and a snap, Jack was flipped upside down, and he shot up into the air with a cry that was whipped away from him by the howling storm. He bounced a bit in the wind before the rope tightened under his weight, and he opened his eyes to see that he was hanging from a tree limb. The cat skidded to a halt under him, and his breath hitched as it paced the forest floor.

It was waiting for him.

Jack groaned and tried to look at the rope. It had grabbed his bad leg. He grit his teeth and swayed, wondering how the hell he was going to get out of this mess. Would the others find him? No, probably not. He was a long ways away from the station. And Jack refused to go back. Even if he got free now, he realized, the cat would eat him, or he would freeze to death before he could even get the hell out of Dodge.

After some time, Jack cocked his head and saw the cat watching him hungrily. He blanched. He was nothing but a piece of meat dangling in the animal's territory, and who knew what other predators were around. And it wasn't until Jack started shivering again when he realized that the storm was getting worse; lightning flashed sporadically, thunder rumbled more violently, and a cold wind gusted, making him shiver harder. He was getting dizzy from all the blood flowing to his head. He knew he needed to sit up.

He tried to reach for the rope, but he had to soon settle on grabbing his hurt leg and hoisting himself up. It hurt like hell for his leg and the tingling agony in his back, but at least Jack didn't feel like he was going to pass out. He couldn't hold himself up for very long, and so he lowered his upper half back down to see that the cat was gone. He looked around, and then paled when he noticed it climbing a nearby tree. Jack started to tremble again as it turned and looked at him with narrow, angry eyes. It growled at him and crept closer, walking out on a limb. Jack could do nothing as it roared and pounced.

He screamed as the sharp claws came in contact with his body again. The cat fell to the ground and landed on its feet, but Jack was paralyzed, yelling in agony. He felt blood stain the shirt beneath his suit as gravity worked against him, and he felt even worse than before. He licked his cold blue lips and tried to resist the urge to scream again. Instead, a pained groan escaped his tongue, and he saw the black cat coming up the tree again. He watched it desperately, praying that this wouldn't be how he died. Already his vision was starting to get blurry, and Jack was feeling very tired. The cold suddenly seemed nonexistent, and all Jack wanted to do was sleep.

But before the panther could attack again, the world suddenly shook violently. Jack gasped for breath as he was bounced in the wind, and the cat froze before lightning suddenly tore the sky and zapped one of the mushroom trees, and it burst into greedy white flames.

 

 

 

 

**Outside of the large, silver, metal space station, the stars glittered coldly and winked through the windows at anyone who might be watching. Beside one of the many thick windows, a young Danish woman was taking care of her Irish fiancé.**

**"So, Sean, how did it happen this time?" Signe sighed as she wrapped his forearm up. The cuts made from one of the officers' whips had stopped bleeding, finally, but they were still red and angry.**

**"It wasn't my fault." The Irishman winced. "They were gonna beat up this poor old lady, just for stealing a loaf of bread! She needed it for her family!" He protested.**

**"But you shouldn't risk yourself like that, you're already on Damien's bad side." Signe tied the gauze and cut off the extra. "Stop taking pages from my book," she added in an attempt to lighten the mood. Jack sighed and made a fist as his beloved cleaned everything up for him.**

**"That's the thing. I know you help anyone you can to the extent of your own personal happiness, but there was so fucking way I could just stand by and let that happen!" He looked at Signe's handiwork and continued, "Things are getting out of hand. People are scared, they don't know what's going to happen next? When are we going to find a new home? Will there ever be a planet as good as Earth was?" Signe coughed in her elbow before she replied.**

**"We just have to believe things will come together. Positive mental attitude, remember?" Jack closed his eyes and sighed.**

**"PMA," he murmured, "Right." Signe smiled, but then she started coughing again. Jack opened his eyes.**

**"It's getting worse, isn't it?" He asked sadly. Signe covered her mouth and nodded, trying to stifle the coughing fit. "C'mere." He scooted to her side and wrapped his arms around her. Signe leaned into him, letting the young man hug her and hold her close. "It's gonna be ok, Signe," he murmured. He put his hand on her back and his chin on her head, and he closed his eyes. "It'll be ok. I promise. We'll find a way out of this mess."**


	3. Tempest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though a storm usually destroys, this natural disaster brings Mark to uncover the small human Jack, who is in dire need of his help.

Mark's eyes immediately snapped onto the forest as white flames erupted in the trees. " _Issen fÿre_!!!" He yelled, sounding the alarm.  _Issen fÿre,_  or Ice fire, was a type of fire that burned so hot that not even the  _Frösting_ could smother its greedy flames. Its center burned with a tint of blue, but the outer edges licked white hot tongues that now devoured the forest and started to spread.

The camp quickly came to life as the warriors stumbled out of their tents. Children wailed as they were comforted by their mothers, and Mark could hear Kathryn already barking orders for the fÿre brigade. He felt Ethan swiftly come to his side.

"How bad is it?" Ethan squinted at the rolling cloud of white smoke.

"Bad." Tyler came up to them.

"We need to isolate the  _fÿre_ and stop it before it reaches our border," he said.

"Cha, of course." Ethan sprang away to help the others collect water buckets. Tyler turned to Mark.

"Is there anyone out of camp?" He asked solemnly. Mark shook his head.

"No." But he hesitated. Earlier, just before the storm had unleashed its hot fury, he could have sworn he had heard screaming. "But I'll check," he added, "Just in case. But if it's just a mimic, I'll come straight back." Tyler frowned.

"Are you sure we shouldn't just roll call?" He asked. "It would be much less dangerous than gallivanting into the heart of an  _issen fÿre_." Mark shook his head quickly.

"No, no I'll be fine," he insisted, "Besides, I don't get burned, remember?" Tyler looked back at the fretting tribe, and then he nodded at Mark.

"Just remember," he advised, "You do not have full control of your powers yet. Do not risk temptation, and stay out of the flames as much as you can."

"I will!" Mark turned and ran toward the forest fire. It was already much worse by now. He could hear the crackling and popping as sap burned, and as he reached the borderline of the trees he unhooked his bow and quiver and tossed them into the grass. As soon as he entered the trees, Mark felt the temperature jump. Droplets evaporated in the presence of the furious fire, and Mark spied the edge of the  _issen fÿre_  just up ahead. With a deep breath, he charged through the white flames, and he was swallowed up by foggy smoke and hellish light.

Jack, meanwhile, groaned before coughing violently. The panther-like creature was long gone, had fled, but he was stuck. Stuck in the heart of the forest fire. Fog filled his lungs and dried his insides; hot, grackling flames made his blood run harder; and he was still in agony.

 _I'm gonna die, aren't I?_ He asked himself groggily. Through his delirious vision, he could see the flames edging closer to his tree: Soon, they would engulf the wood and turn him to ashes. He didn't have much time left _. How strange, for the weather to turn from ice cold and rainy to hot and burning in the passing of a second._ Jack couldn't wrap his head around it, but then again his blood was steadily draining from his ripped flesh, and his weak pulse pounded in his ears.

Jack tried to wriggle his feet and yelled out in pain. If he fell, he would snap his neck. If he somehow survived the drop, he would have to combat mother nature. And he knew he was way too weak to even make it that far. He wanted to close his eyes and pass out before more pain could come to him, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the flames. They were beautiful. They flickered in the dark moody sky and danced in the wind, blinding Jack with their insidious light. He felt his muscles unwillingly relaxing as he slumped into a paralyzed gaze, turning numb. But as he watched, the flames suddenly wavered and took the shape of a gargantuan man. Jack's breath hitched, and he watched with breathless awe as a giant figure emerged from the fire.

Mark coughed and waved at the smoke. It was hot in here, even for him. The fire licked at his body, but it didn't burn him; he couldn't be burned, it was a gift from his ancestors. He looked through the flames and caught a faint scent of salt. He frowned and tasted the air; through the heavy fog and tumultuous winds, he could smell blood. He followed the trailing scent and entered a small clearing that had not yet been incinerated. At first, his eyes passed over the snare tree, but then he turned and found himself meeting a strange creature's veiled gaze.

Mark froze. He felt a chill shoot down his spine. The ensnared animal looked so... strange. Blood stained its pelt, but a weird black bubble covered its head. Its skin was shiny and silver, and it was dangling pathetically from a snare the hunters had set the day before.

Jack wasn't conscious enough to feel frightened. He felt numb and dazed with awe. The native studied him with flabbergast as he in turn absorbed a few tidbits. He recalled wondering why this strange man was so big, why he was covered in tattoos, and why was he wearing animal skin? Why was he here? Was he a hallucination? Were the flames toying with him? There were so many questions that would later resurface, but now Jack was losing his grip on reality. The sight of a gargantuan man emerging from the holy fires, unharmed, perplexed him too greatly.

As Mark cautiously approached, he heard the small thing groan as its head hung. Worry sparked fear, and he snapped out of his apprehension and approached quicker. He hurried up to the snare and reached up, putting his hand under Jack and breaking the rope effortlessly. Jack collapse in his hand, fitting perfectly, and Mark winced as he heard the tiny man groan again and ever so weakly stir. _This is what was screaming before,_ Mark suddenly realized. He carefully rolled the diminutive human over on his stomach, and his pupils constricted when he saw the scarring wounds that covered the backside.

He muttered a curse, and his head snapped up when he heard crackling. His eyes widened as a flaming branch fell, and he held Jack to his chest as he rolled out of the way. _I've got to get out of here!_ Mark cradled the mangled body with both hands to shield him from the flames and charged through the white nightmare. He coughed and ducked his head, keeping as low under the throng of smoke as he could while running through the burning trees. The  _issen fÿre_  had gotten bigger, hungrier.

Jack felt so still in his large hands, Mark was worried that the poor creature, whatever it was, was already passing into the next world. He spied an open space up ahead and churned the ground harder. _Hang on líten häna, almost there!_ He jumped through the flames and tumbled out of the forest fire. He coughed and lay on his back, breathing hard. They were out. He made it. They were alive. Mark closed his eyes and smiled as the rain poured over him, washing the soot off his face. But then he remembered his objective and sat up, looking down at the strange creature. It was barely breathing. Mark could feel Jack's heart faintly beating, and he quickly got up.

 _I need to get it to Amy._ He spotted his bow and quiver where he left it and slung them over his shoulder. As he hurried away from the _issen fÿre,_  he couldn't take his eyes off of the shiny creature limp in his hands.  _Should I tell Tyler?_ He suddenly wondered.  _It'd be easier if I didn't. Just say that I didn't find anyone, and not trouble him with my sympathies._  Mark felt a small prickle of guilt, but he pushed it away. It was the truth. Tyler had other things to worry about anyway.

 

 

 

When he returned to camp, Tyler was helping the  _fÿre_ squad refill their buckets as efficiently as possible. As Mark trekked into the clearing, their eyes briefly locked, and he shook his head. Tyler nodded and gave the squad the ok. While everyone else was busy, Mark spotted Amy in her tent and went over to her.

"Amy!" She looked up and immediately rushed to meet him outside. First she hugged him, and then she slapped his arm.

"Why did you risk your life like that!" She exclaimed. "You could have gotten hurt!" Mark bit his lip.

"I-I know, I'm sorry, but I just wanted to make sure no one was in the  _fÿre_. But..." He hesitated and looked around. Amy noticed this and gestured him inside. Mark waited until Amy dropped the flaps down to conceal them both inside before he let his hands lower, revealing Jack.

At the sharp smell of blood, Amy immediately stiffened. "What is that?" She gasped. Mark could see her doctor instincts already starting to kick into gear.

"I found it in one of the snares," he told her as she scooped the broken body up. Amy set the limp Irishman down on the table and crouched, peering at his injuries. "It was screaming," Mark said quietly. Amy shot him a startled look.

"It's not a mimic." He shook his head, and Amy frowned at Jack's suit. "And this isn't organic, either," she pointed out. The healer reached and pinched Jack's helmet, and she carefully pulled it off. The glass bubble hissed as it gave away and came off, and both giants gaped at the face beneath. Jack's countenance was twisted with pain, and his eyes were almost completely closed as he took ragged wheezes, struggling for breath. His skin was ashen pale, like paper, and the two giants could hear every weak gasp of air.

Amy whispered an ancient prayer and leaned away, flabbergasted. Mark, stunned, stared at the tiny human. "It looks like us," he breathed. "H- _he_  looks like us? I-I thought it'd be a bug or-or something! Not..." Amy recovered herself and started gathering herbs.

"Can you take off the rest of its armor? I'll need to stop the bleeding." Mark complied, but his hands trembled as he carefully peeled the poor excuse of "armor" off of Jack. With the human laying bare and exposed in his strangely colored skins, Mark felt his heart squeeze.  _He's so small..._ He turned Jack over on his stomach, and he held his hand out as Amy finished grinding the herbs and carefully poured the juices over the ripped flesh and cloth.

Jack, in his delirium, seized up and cried out with pain, unaware of what was happening to him. Mark stiffened and, unsure what else to do, gently rubbed the Irishman's head. "Shh, It's ok," he whispered. " _Líten häna_ , it's ok, shh..." He murmured some soothing words in their old tongue, and Jack slowly relaxed again, shuddering. Amy rolled up his tattered shirt to examine the slashes.

"I've never felt skin like this before," she puzzled out loud, frowning at the shirt and ragged jeans. "He has two layers of it. It's like animal skin, but... but scratchy." She shook her head and reached for a plant leaf that acted like a gauze. "Take the top one off. I need to bandage him." Mark did his best to remove Jack's shirt without ripping it more, and Amy pushed the human's pantleg up to wrap his bad leg. Mark watched the frail creature suck in a rattled breath and shiver in his hand. Every tiny movement sent cold vibrations through Mark's entire body.

Amy covered Jack's thorax with wrappings and sighed. "I'll get something for the pain." She rummaged through her things, and at the mention of pain Mark found himself holding Jack closer to his chest, using both hands to cradle the mangled body. Amy boiled some water over the fire and dropped a plant's precious leaves in, and when the tea was done she carefully poured a small cup and returned to her patient. "Sit him up." It was a simple and easy request, but Mark felt his heart shriveling as he gently pinched the human's shoulders and propped him up. Amy held the cup with skillful precision as she held the lip of it to Jack's lips, and she tilted it just a little bit.

Jack throbbed with a cough, spraying some of the herbal liquid before he managed to swallow. "Good, good ..." Amy kept murmuring encouraging words as she got the tiny man to slowly drink. When she pulled the cup away, Jack swayed and blinked, but his eyes were still almost completely closed. He slumped unwittingly against the bare part of Mark's broad chest, and his head hung as he weakly yawned.

"He will sleep now," Amy murmured. Mark watched as the tiny human slipped into a doze and went off into the dream world. A breath he didn't realize he had been holding escaped his lips in a relieved sigh.  _He's going to be ok_. But once the relief and worry wore off, questions began to cram their way into his head. _Who is he? What is he? Where did he come from? Why is he here? Did the ancestors send him?_  He looked at Amy and saw these questions in her eyes too, but she didn't ask them.

"If anything happens, for better or worse..." she said instead, "You can keep him here." Mark nodded.

"Of course. Thank you." Amy smiled a little.

"Or you could just give your woman a friendly visit or two," she offered. Mark chuckled, but it was weak.

"Of course, sorry."

"It's nothing, really. You have your hands full now." She pursed her lips, thinking. "Have you told Tyler yet?" She asked. Mark winced. "No? You aren't going to?" Her eyes got big.

"I just... I think he's got plenty on his hands," Mark answered. "Besides, I found this... this thing, so it's my responsibility."

"Our responsibility," Amy kindly inputted. She was going to keep his secret. Mark blinked at her gratefully.  _I'm the luckiest guy in the world._


	4. The Aborigine and the Outsider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wakes up to find himself in an even more frightening situation: giant humanoid aliens, but he isn't aware that they have no intentions of hurting him.

The next few days felt like moons. Mark watched over Jack nonstop, but the human didn't wake for a very long time. When he asked Amy what was wrong, she simply shrugged and said, "These sorts of things take time." She changed the wrappings and gave the tiny man lots of tea to keep him sedated, and kept his needs satisfied, but still the human did not regain consciousness. Mark never went anywhere without Jack, and for that he came up with the excuse to stay with Amy to help her with the pelts.

"I know Tyler's going to call for the march any day now," Mark had told Ethan, "And with the  _issen fÿre_ , it's only a matter of time. We need to be prepared." So Mark was given permission to not hunt or patrol, and he could stay with Amy and their secret patient.

As he did work on the pelts, cleaning them while Amy sewed coats and thermal covers for the tents, he kept glancing over at Jack. They had swaddled him in some of the fur to keep him warm and comfortable, but it didn't hurry anything. Mark still worried. They knew nothing about this strange creature that looked just like them. Was its anatomy even the same? Working helped Mark pass the time, but it didn't slow the countless questions pounding in his skull.

Then there was a time when Amy was out gathering herbs, and Mark was alone with Jack. He picked dirt out of a thick white pelt and smoothed the fur down, when he suddenly felt someone's presence. He first checked the entrance to the tent, worried that someone had happened upon their secret, but no one was around. He returned to his seat and sighed, glancing over at Jack. And then he became alert.

Jack was moving. It wasn't much, but the tiny human was actually moving. His thick brow furrowed as he slowly rolled over on his side, facing Mark. Mark watched with hushed awe as Jack bundled part of the fur up in his arms and used it as a pillow, and he curled up slightly with his knees tucked. " _Líten häna_ ," Mark breathed softly. The human's eyes were still closed, and the young warrior had a feeling that the infinitesimal man wasn't aware of his circumstances yet. But it was more movement than Mark had seen in a quarter of a moon, and this excited him. No, he was relieved, not eager. He reminded himself to keep a broad and careful approach about everything; including his very thoughts.

And before he carried on with his work, Mark decided for sure that the tiny creature was a he.

 

 

 

 

Jack's eyes opened slowly. The sloppy patter of sleet met his ears, and his nose twitched as he caught the smell of fragrant herbs. He wondered dimly what had made him wake up until he noticed that there was a beeping in his ear. He reached up slowly with a groan and pushed the small chip on his neck, and he heard Susie's mechanical voice.

"Translation at ten percent completion," she announced. "Algorithm for the extraterrestrial language of MTXY-5-C92 is being calculated, stand by for the incomplete result." _The hell?_ Jack scrunched his nose up and moaned when he tried to move. His back felt like it was on fire, and his muscles were sluggish and barely responding.

As he went still and tried to remember the last thing that happened before he had fallen unconscious, he heard the tent flaps pull apart, and a shadow crossed over him.

"Good news," Mark's deep and powerful voice rumbled in the alien language, "Tyler said we're finally moving out tomorrow."

"Finally!" Amy sighed gladly. "We've only got a few more pelts left before they're all done. Care to help?"

"Of course." Jack's breath was stuck in his throat as Mark assisted Amy with the last of the furs.  _What's going on? Is that talking? And what the fuck kind of language is that?_  Thanks to his translator, he understood two or three words, like moving or help, but it was certainly not enough to help him comprehend the foreign words that the two giants rumbled.

"How's he doing?" Mark asked quietly. Jack felt his nape tingle as he felt their gazes briefly lock onto him.

"Still resting," Amy answered simply. "It takes time, Mark."

"I know." Mark sighed and handed the newly clean pelt to Amy. She started sewing it to another fur, and Mark watched the flames in the fire pit frolic. "I'm just worried," Mark confessed, reaching down and letting the flames playfully lick his fingers. They danced around his knuckles, but he felt no pain, only their warm, playful aura. "We don't even know what he is, or why he's here. Where did he come from? What kind of creature is he? Is he passive or aggressive?"

"I have the same questions, Mark." Amy watched him sympathetically. "And they'll all be answered in good time." Mark sighed.

"You're right... as always," he chuckled. Amy winked and resumed sewing.

"Of course I am." During this conversation, Jack had slowly peeked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his ͈̻̪͖ͧͪͩ͌͝h̹͎͇͆ͭ̅͠o͙̪s͎̺̝̳̓ͭͭͨ̿̈t̛͖͎͂̏͋̅̈̏s, and his heart slammed in his throat. _No way. No, no, no, holy shit, no!_ Despite his exhaustion, his eyes were wide and alert as adrenaline started rushing  through him.  _This can't be happening, this isn't possible!_ His lower lip began to quiver. _I need to get out of here! Holy shit! What are they planning to do with me?_  As soon as both of their attention was fixated elsewhere, Jack sat up and clawed out of the furry covers that enveloped him. His body shrieked in protest at moving, and he grit his teeth as he crawled to the edge of the makeshift bed. Cold air blasted the Irishman from the tent entrance, and he shivered violently as he rose up onto his feet and staggered toward it.

Amy was just reaching to grab another pelt when her eyes suddenly widened. "Mark!" She whispered urgently. Mark frowned at her and looked over his shoulder to follow her gaze, and his eyes widened when he just barely managed to see Jack stagger out of the tent. He swung around and shared an alarmed look with Amy.

"He shouldn't be walking yet!" Mark jumped to his feet and rushed outside, scanning the ground. But to his amazement, he didn't see the tiny human.  _Where did he go!?_  Wondered Mark with flabbergast. It was raining ice, the worst kind of weather to help Jack. He hurried along the camp and searched the wet, sloppy ground, and he didn't look up until he smacked into someone.

"Ah!" It was Ethan.

"Sorry Ethan!" Mark swerved past the confounded young man and hurried off. Amy smiled sheepishly from her tent and waved awkwardly when Ethan gave her a confused look.

"What's up with him?" Ethan asked. Amy felt her cheeks getting hot despite the cold weather.

"Oh, uh, n-nothing! I just lost a piece of jewelry, that's all," she lied.

"Oh." Flustered, Ethan nodded and went on about his way. Amy sighed and watched as Mark vanished behind the trees.  _I hope he finds it._

 

 

Jack was tempted to drop dead and let the cold claim him. But he couldn't. He knew he shouldn't. His lips were already blue; frosty flakes crowded his hair, and the white in his facial hair made him look older. He trudged through thick slush that came up to his shins, and though he couldn't feel his legs it meant that he couldn't feel the tear that ran down to his calf. The bandaging that Amy had so carefully placed were frozen and peeling off, and the cold air was suffocating the poor human.

 _No... can't... can't give up. Gotta... get out._ He sneezed and almost fell over.  _Is it just me, or... or is the world shaking?_ He was feeling tremors in the ground: Footsteps. Jack shivered and turned to the closest tree roots. _It must be one of those giants that caught me,_  he thought drowsily,  _Well no way in hell is it getting this sexy body! Then again, I'm not exactly sexy right now..._  As he wormed his way into the roots, Mark approached with his nose in the air. He was trying to smell for the Irishman, but he couldn't place any scents with this cursed wind and sleet.

The warrior muttered a curse and ruffled his frosty hair.  _What am I going to do now?_  He wondered. He could barely feel the freezing air, but a little tyke like Jack... He looked down to shelter his eyes from the wind, but then he frowned. He went down on one knee and touched the soggy snow; there was a tiny trail of dents before him; small footsteps.  _I'm no tracker... but Ethan said he found tracks just like these._  Mark's head came up, and he turned toward the tree that Jack was cowering under.

Jack's breath hitched as he watched Mark's feet come closer, and his eyes stretched open widely as the giant slowly crouched and peered under the gnarly roots. Their eyes met. A tiny, horrified gaze met a large and concerned one. Mark's felt his breath falter as he took in Jack's miserable appearance. He looked so frightened, so cold and alone. Jack was still trembling, but now he shook harder as fear mixed with the cold, and he cowered pathetically before the gargantuan warrior.

"Oh..." Mark breathed. Jack shivered and tried to wriggle deeper into the roots, but he winced as his leg throbbed dully with pain. "Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay..." Mark put a hand up and shushed softly. "I'm not gonna hurt you," he murmured soothingly. His eyes were locked on Jack's, fascinated by the intense blue irises. But Jack crumpled under his reverberating voice. His breath came and went faster, squeaky gulps of air that did nothing to fog the air around him. Mark winced a little, trying to figure out a way to get Jack to trust him.

"Come here,  _líten häna_ ," he said gently, trying to reach under. "You're gonna freeze in this weather." Jack panicked at the immense hand reaching for him and kicked with his good leg. It did nothing physically against the wall of skin, but Mark immediately stopped and flinched.  _I'm scaring him._ He slowly pulled his hand out and looked at Jack again. The human was losing his strength, and fast. If he didn't warm up soon...

"I know you're scared," Mark rumbled softly, "But if you don't let me help you, then... you're going to die." Die was one of the very few words that translated correctly in Jack's multilingual chip, and his breath caught in his throat. _What's he trying to tell me? What is he saying?_ Jack blinked rapidly and studied the young giant.  _He looks... concerned? Why the hell would he be concerned?_  Jack felt his stomach do a flip.  _Unless he's evolved enough to detect and express emotions. In that case he'd feel obligated to help me! ... right?_  It felt like a long shot. It was too risky. But as Jack felt his energy waning, he realized that, in fact, he had no other choice. Either way, he was going to die, so why not try approaching the giant alien that was capable of smushing him with his thumb?

Jack leaned forward. Mark held his breath and kept still as the human dragged his quivering body out of the shadows and slowly stumbled closer to him. As Jack left the security of the roots behind and entered the giant's shadow, he shivered as Mark's warm aura washed over him. It reminded him of the pain in his leg, and he gasped as he almost fell over. Mark's eyes widened.

"Whoa, easy." He put his hand underneath before Jack could collapse in the sleet, and he scooped the freezing human up in his big warm hands. Jack wheezed miserably as Mark cupped him to his chest and hurried toward camp.  _The fÿre in my body will keep him warm enough until I can get him back to Amy._ As he made it to the edge of the trees, he glanced down at the tiny man. Jack's eyes were half closed, his arms lay coldly over his fingers, and he was still feebly shuddering. He was watching Mark with a blank expression, fatigue clouding his blue eyes. Mark felt his heart give a small squeeze, and he held the human a little more tightly.


	5. Alien of Two Worlds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuck in Mark and Amy's care, a little of the past seeps into Jack's consciousness, a part of the puzzle that goes to show just how stranded and alone the Irishman is.

**On his way to the cafeteria, Jack stopped and looked at the window; the whole hallway was a window though, being a glass tube and all. But Jack always stopped here. It was his haven. He reached out and touched the thick glass, looking out at the vast space outside. The stars reflected in his eyes, igniting them like two, blue, cold stones. He tried not to look to the left, however, where the ugly orange ball of fire resembled what was left of earth. It was nothing but fire, their own miniature sun; humans did that. It was their fault that the Earth combusted. If the nations had just worked together and stopped the nuclear war, and the pollution and hatred that ran like poison...**

**Jack closed his eyes and sighed. Sometimes he wished humankind could go back in time and fix things. He wished Earth was still as beautiful as it once was. But the warmongering greed of mankind was too much. And he wouldn't have met Signe. He remembered the day every country in the world came together and made a peace treaty: They all worked together to make a space station that could support the millions of people on board. He remembered how scared everyone was, and he remembered sitting beside that beautiful Danish girl. She had burst into tears when the Earth exploded, and Jack did his best to comfort her then. Even though the UK and Denmark were a little rocky with one another, he was glad that he had met Signe. Without her, life in the UNSS would have been just as boring as it looked, let alone worth living through.**

**He opened his eyes and looked at the stars again, but this time he traced little shapes out of the glittering specks. So many people died that day, and every day on board this place was so insipid. There was little cause to be happy, and people every day had problems and complaints. Each country still execrated one another as greedy and selfish, but that was why the council existed; one member of each country served as a body of government for the united peoples, but they were always detested for being in charge and "doing nothing."**

**_I don't know what to think._  Jack searched the dark canvas of space until he found the star that was biggest. Somehow, he always found it comforting to look at, to give him the courage to go on. _I don't know how much longer we can stay here before somebody snaps._ His hand rested on the glass; he sighed.  _How many more years before we can find a new home? Even before the catastrophe NASA couldn't find planets like Earth. How are we suppose to do any better?_ But he already knew the answer to his question.  _Because their lives didn't depend on it._  He let his hand drop and carried on into the next chamber.**

**The cafeteria was full, as always. People were trying to protest or beg for items, like clothes or other necessities. Money didn't matter anymore. Everyone was on the same level. Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out a multi-lingual earbud. He put it on and waded through the crowd.**

**"Please? Cloth? Any cloth?" A Nigerian woman begged in a rapid tone. "Clothes for my children, please!"**

**"My kids don't have shoes. They're getting nasty blisters," A Caucasian man pleaded to whoever might listen.**

**"My babies are starving! I don't have any food!" A voice melodically lilting in a Scottish accent cried.**

**"We don't have enough water!"**

**"Please, just a shoelace, that's all I need. Shoelace, anyone?" Jack felt his heart shattering. He wanted to help these people, but he could barely support himself and Signe. _I wish I could. Doesn't make them feel any better, though._ He made his way to the bland, silver counter and rang the bell.**

**"What do you want?" The waiter grunted in Slovakian.**

**"Uh, have ya got any water left?" Jack asked hopefully.**

**"Just a few more litres for today." The man reached under the counter and handed him a bottle of water. Jack nodded gratefully.**

**"Thanks." He tucked it under his arm and tried to push his way through the crowd again.**

**"Hey!" Someone suddenly pulled on his arm. "I need that too!" Jack grunted as he fell to the floor. The people around him clamored when the water bottle rolled away, and all of hell broke loose. Some of the people collapsed into bouts of fighting, screaming at each other and pulling on their hair. Jack quickly rolled over and covered his head to protect himself. At first, he couldn't hear it over the buzz of fighting, but he was eventually aware of an officer blowing their whistle as the fighting was taken apart.**

**"Lay off!" One of the guards barked. "That's enough! No fighting." Someone grabbed Jack by the back of his shirt and hauled him to his feet.**

**"You alright, Jack?" Jack looked and smiled in relief.**

**"Yeah, thanks Felix." The blonde Swedish man grinned back, and then he put on a serious face at the rest of the throng.**

**"You heard the captain! No more squabbling, okay? We're all in the same boat, so let's be nice and share, alright?" Some of them shouted protests, but Felix carried Jack out of the cafeteria. He only let go of Jack's arm when they were safely in the rec room. "That was pretty scary to watch," Felix remarked.**

**"Yeah." Jack rubbed his back and sighed. "I wish things were better. They don't deserve that, having to resort to thieving and fighting just to survive." Felix nodded, agreeing.**

**"You shouldn't either." Jack was startled when his friend suddenly pushed something into his hands: It was the water bottle. "I managed to snag it for you before anyone else got their hands on it." Felix winked.**

**"F-Felix!" Jack gasped, "Thanks!"**

**"No problem." Then Felix's amusement faded. "How's Signe doing?" He asked gently.**

**"Not much better." Jack sighed and held the water bottle against his chest. "I've been hoping so hard that she doesn't have the virus, but the sickness hasn't gone away. She keeps pretending that she's fine, but sooner or later I'm scared to think that Damien will find out and have her Quarantined," he confessed. Felix put his hand on the Irishman's shoulder.**

**"She's tough. She'll get better, you'll see," he said. Jack closed his eyes and hummed in agreement.**

**"I better get this back to her, then. She'll need it to recover."**

**"Yeah, good luck dude." He clapped Jack on the back before leaving the room. Jack sighed and hurried off to their quarters. His mind rolled back to the day he met Felix: He was an energetic Swedish, and they both were so similar. When mankind first entered the UNSS, Jack remembered having to fight just to get a bread roll. The best part about it, though, was that he had fought Felix for it. But in the end, they ended up sharing the roll, and becoming great friends. _How the hell we're not at each other's throats, I'll never get._  Jack smiled a little. _But I'm glad we're still friends._**

**His positivity, however, came to a screeching halt when he saw their door was partially open. His smile dropped. "Signe?" He pushed it open and went inside. The water bottle fell out of his arms, and he let out a horrified gasp. The room was a mess. A chair was turned over on its side, and Signe's precious cactus plant was on the floor. Jack looked around. "Signe?" He yelled. "Signe!!"**

 

 

 

 

Jack woke with a sputter as he was doused in lukewarm water. He squirmed feebly for air, until the grip on his waist hauled him above the surface. "The last thing he needs is the  _Chïlá_!" Amy muttered crossly as she rubbed the frost out of Jack's hair. Jack shuddered and tried to push away from the slender fingers that held him, but Amy remained firm and gently dunked him again.

"I tried to find him as quickly as I could." Mark watched the human with sympathy as he kicked and squirmed in protest to Amy giving him a washing. But Amy needed to do this; she was washing the dirty sleet off his pants and chasing the cold out of his body. Jack stopped and sighed out of frustration as water kept falling in his face and making his jeans feel soaked and heavier.

"Can you get the towel?" Mark was already grabbing the fur that served as a towel as Amy lifted Jack out of the water. He spat out some of the water out, along with a garbled stream of curses as he was set down on the towel. His incoherent grumbling only grew worse as Amy dried him off, and when he finally emerged from the torturous fur his hair was sticking up in awkward directions.

Mark laughed and smiled at the little human. "Aww, see? I bet that feels better," he sympathized. Jack glowered at him, but his heart still fluttered fearfully as he met the giant's kind gaze. "I don't think he likes you," Mark giggled. Amy huffed.

"He's the one who went off into the forest. I'm just trying to nurse him back to health!" Jack winced when his stomach growled miserably, and he wrapped his arm over his middle with a pained expression.

"Well your patient is hungry," Mark observed.

"I'm working on it!" Though her tone was snappy, she held a friendly sparkle in her eyes as she turned to collect some food. Jack wasn't sure what to do in the meantime, so he just let his eyes slide around listlessly. The shadows danced on the tent canvas as the fire continued to burn in its pit in the center of the smooth ground. He watched the flames warily and shuddered.  _How did I not die in there?_ He asked himself. _The entire forest was on fire and burning, how did that giant not burn? Why did he even save me?_

Jack flinched when something suddenly draped over his shoulders, and he sharply looked up to see Mark watching him with a gentle look. "You need to keep warm," the giant murmured. Jack looked suspiciously at the thing on his back, but then he slowly relaxed. It was just a bit of pelt to act as a blanket. He tugged it more tightly around him with what little strength he had and sighed, closing his eyes.  _Warmth..._

"The poor thing needs a change of wear," Amy pointed out, returning with a bowled plate of food. "Those skins won't last for much longer."

"I know, but one step at a time." Mark studied the lunch his mate had brought and grinned. "That looks mighty tasty," he said coyly. Amy glared with a smile.

"Maybe so, but it isn't for you." Mark stuck his tongue out and chuckled as Amy sat beside him and brought out a cooked aerial creature. "Here you go little fella." Jack wrinkled his nose and leaned away from the chicken-like corpse. He wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but he couldn't help but feel a wave of nausea and horror at the strange body, regardless that it was well cooked with fine seasoning. The two giants shared a concerned look.

"Not a meat-eater?" Mark murmured.

"Guess not." She put the piece of meat back down and handed the bowl to Mark. "I'll try the fruits." She went off again to hunt down something vegetarian, and so Mark shrugged and helped himself to the fowl. Jack gulped and looked away as he heard the tearing and chewing of meat.

"Mm!" Mark hummed happily. "Just as good as I remember. Haven't had this in a while." He looked over at Jack and frowned. "You sure you don't want any?" He asked rhetorically, waving the bowl. Jack kept looking away. "... Okay. Suit yourself." He quickly reduced the cooked meal to a small pile of hollow bones by the time Amy finally returned. She shook her head and moved the bowl of bones to the side.

"I leave you alone for naught but a moment..." Mark grinned sheepishly.

"So what'd you get him this time?" Amy picked up a fruit that looked like a tiny peach.

"Some of these, and a few bunches of  _crèpes_ ," she answered. Mark nodded approvingly.

"Well hopefully he'll eat those." He leaned down close to Jack and gently poked his back. "Hey, try some of these,  _líten häna_." Jack flinched and whirled around, backpedaling a little with wide eyes. Mark winced. "Er, sorry," he murmured. He jerked his head at the shallow bowl of fruit. "Amy brought you some herbivorous food. Wasn't that nice of her?" He tried smiling kindly at Jack, but the human sighed nervously and looked up at the healer. She smiled as well, slightly easing the fear Jack was feeling.  _They're both acting nice... So far, neither of them have tried to kill me. That's good, I guess._  But the human was wary, and he was still on hyperactive high alert. He wasn't in any shape to make a run for it again, but life be damned if he didn't try.

"Here." Amy offered a small bunch of the grape-like fruit. "Try these. They're called  _crèpes_." Jack shied back a little, and then he tentatively reached up  and tried to pull the closest one off. It didn't give away, no matter how hard he strained, because he was too tired to give it his all.

"Here, don't wanna hurt yourself." Mark gently pulled Amy's arm away when Jack let go, and he easily plucked a single  _crépe_ off like it was nothing. He offered it on the edge of his fingertips for the human, but Jack was frozen. He stared at the giant's hand and shuddered as an image of greedy white flames threatening to devour him flashed in his mind.  _No!_  He scolded himself,  _You're not in the fire anymore, snap out of it!_ Mark waited for a few seconds, and then he frowned. "All right then." He put the  _crépe_ down and moved his hand away. "One step at a time, right?" Amy nodded her approval.

"Don't forget, he's not used to us yet," she murmured, "It takes time for all wild animals to learn to trust." Had Jack's translator been at a hundred percent capacity for their alien language, he would have taken offense to this. But nevertheless, he was hungry and distracted, and so he didn't care what they were whispering about as he managed to lean far enough to grab the  _crépe_ , and then he proceeded to take a cautious bite out of the fruit's yielding flesh. His eyes immediately widened from the explosion of juicy flavor in his mouth, and he began taking ravenous chomps out of it. Mark laughed a little.

"I guess he likes it."


	6. The Wonted Migration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody has bad dreams, even ninety-six foot aliens. It's also time for the yearly migration, which begs a lot of questions regarding Jack's safety.

Once Jack had his fill of  _crépes_ and tea, he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"He looks sleepy," Mark whispered to Amy, "Shall I get him back to his little nest?"

"Cha," Amy murmured, "Resting will help him heal." Mark nodded and let his hand approach the human cautiously.

"Hey  _líten häna_ ," he coaxed in a soft voice, "Time for bed." Jack was too tired to even bother reacting as the giant's fingers engulfed him. Mark carefully scooped their small patient up and carried him back to the bundle of furs they had made for him. Jack's head was drooping as he yawned again, and when Mark set him down in the soft fur he was too tired to even curl up. But Mark nudged the human's legs into the comfortable position he had seen Jack sleeping in, and then he pulled up a corner of the animal skin up to his shoulders. Jack's opened his eyes a little as the fur and warm skin brushed his shoulders, and he looked up with a distant gaze as Mark turned away.

"I'm going to go and get some more details from Tyler." When the warrior left, it seemed the last of Jack's strength had left him. With an exhausted sigh, he closed his eyes and sank into the plush covers, and fell asleep within seconds.

 

 

 

 

**Jack looked around the room with wide eyes. "Signe?" He yelled. He strained his hearing and heard her familiar voice.**

**"Sean!" Jack turned and ran out of the room. He had to go down a corridor and turn a corner before he came across his worst nightmare. She was being dragged off by two guards, and in front of them was Damien, the ambassador of America.**

**"Signe!!!" He lunged for her. One of the guards behind them blocked him. "Signe!!" He screamed, trying to push past. Damien stopped and turned around. His eyes narrowed when he recognized Jack.**

**"McLoughlin," he said in a low voice.**

**"Damien! Stop, please!" Jack begged. Guards quickly assembled and held him in place when he tried to go to the American. "She-she's not sick with the virus! It's just a cold! Please! Just let it show you for itself."**

**"We can't take risks!" Damien snapped, "Now pipe down, this is your final warning."**

**"No!!!" Jack squirmed and tried to reach Signe, who was trying to get a final glimpse of him. "Let go of her!" He strained against the hands that held him back. "You son of a bitch!" He screamed. "Let me go!! Don't hurt her! SIGNE!!"**

**"Sean!" The woman shrieked before she was whisked out of sight. Jack yelled and was fighting to go after them, to save her. Someone shoved their elbow in his stomach, forcing the Irishman to fall to his knees and double over.**

**"I warned you, Jack," The man in charge threatened, "I told you to stop fighting against the rules. They're not just here for you to break! They're here to protect us all. And she has to go, so accept it!" He jerked his head at the two guards restraining Jack. "Take him to the brig. I've had enough of him." Jack didn't struggle when they hauled him up and dragged him away. He didn't even try to walk on his own. He closed his eyes and sobbed, shutting out the bewildered glances he got from passing by civilians.**

**_I can't believe it. Just like that, she's gone_. Hot, steamy tears full with grief dripped down his cheeks. One of the guards put their hand on one of the scanners and opened the thick door, and Jack was thrown into the small room.**

**"Enjoy your stay," the other guard said with a mock tone. The door sealed shut, leaving Jack alone with only a window the size of a hand. He lay there, curled up on the floor, overwhelmed with guilt and engulfed by tragedy. _She didn't deserve this! It's not her fault!_ Jack was so choked up he could hardly breathe _. She doesn't deserve to be Quarantined!_**

**Jack didn't get up for a while. He lost track of time very quickly, isolated in his sorrow. His eyes got dry of tears, but he still didn't get up. He remained curled up on the floor, miserable and heartbroken. He spiraled in and out of consciousness, sometimes aware of the cold pathetic room he was jailed in, and sometimes he could only see Signe or darkness. _Signe..._ His heart ached with anguish.**

**It was only when his door opened and someone walked in that Jack finally moved. He looked up and saw a familiar face, one that he always saw when he was having trouble.**

**"I'm really sorry about what happened, Jack." Jack sniffed and slowly sat up. His muscles ached from sitting still for so long. "But she was sick," the Swedish officer reasoned, crouching down to sit by him. "He was just doing his job and trying to protect the rest of us." Jack smothered a sob and bit his lip.**

**"... F-Felix..."**

**"I'm going to try to talk to him." Felix grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it, trying to be comforting. "He can't keep you in here forever. There's gotta be someway I can bail you out."**

**"Felix." Jack sniffled and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "H-he can't. I broke the rules." He hung his head. "It's my fault," he whispered. "And there's nothing left for me out there."**

**"No it isn't." Felix shook his head and sighed. "It's all our faults. If we hadn't ruined the Earth..." He trailed off. Jack hugged his knees and put his head down as the silence settled over them. Felix stayed by him, which Jack was grateful for.**

**He let his cheek rest on his knee caps and looked at the open doorway. There were two more soldiers standing guard outside. Jack scowled. He was angry, but he wasn't stupid. Felix suddenly scooted closer and pulled Jack into a hug. Jack felt his frustration sputter out and turn back into grief. He buried his face in his friend's shoulder, muttering a word of thanks.**

**"Felix Kjellberg, report to C-385," the voice on the comms suddenly said gruffly. Felix sighed.**

**"It's ok." Jack scooted to the far wall. "Go," he urged. "Wouldn't want Damien pissed off at the both of us." Felix grinned.**

**"Yeah," he chuckled dryly. He stood. "I'll come by when I can." And he left. The door shut behind him, sealing Jack in isolation once more. Jack sighed and let his shoulders slump. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't gotten any food in a while. But he had no appetite. Jack let his head rest back on the wall and sighed.**

**"... I know I've never really been a-a religious type," he suddenly started saying. His voice was quiet as he struggled for words. "And... it's been a long time, since-since anyone has had the hope to pray. But..." He closed his eyes, scrunching his countenance up. "If there is a god out there, listening, then please." He started to sob. "Please give me a way. Signe didn't deserve this." He frowned and felt his chest for something. His hand found it quickly: his necklace, the one Signe had given him for his birthday. He clutched it in his fist tightly, not ever wanting to let go of the small feline shape, and he felt a tear slip down his cheek.**

**"Please give me a way to save her," he whispered.**

 

 

 

 

When Mark finally returned to the healer's tent, the moon was high up in the sky with its light weakly piercing the thick stormy clouds that covered it. He quietly entered the tent and saw Amy asleep in her bed. He smiled softly.  _Good._ But when he turned to check on Jack, his smile dropped to a concerned frown. The human looked tense. He slept with an anxious frown carved on his countenance, and he clutched what served as a pillow quite tightly. Mark crouched and watched as the tiny man stirred uneasily in his dreams.

 _Poor creature._ Jack restlessly shifted, accidentally sliding the covers off as he started to whimper. Mark reached to put them back on when Jack's eyes suddenly flew open, and he abruptly sat up with a sharp gasp. Mark's eyes widened, and he pulled his hand back and watched as the small human gulped rapid breaths of air and looked around with wide, panicked eyes.  _The poor thing, he looks so scared_. Mark attempted to console Jack.

"Shh... It's okay...  _Câlmé_ ,  _líten häna_ , calm down..." But when Jack noticed the giant's hand approaching, he cried out and kicked away desperately. His adrenaline-pumped mind kept flashing back to pure darkness with cold, twinkling lights, and hellish flames threatening hungrily at the edge of his vision. Mark pulled away, mystified by the human's sporadic behavior.  _The bad spirits must have been plaguing his dreamwalk. But he needs to sleep..._

"It's all right," he tried again, "You're safe now." But he didn't try to move closer. He put his hand down at the edge of the furry blankets, and though Jack flinched a little, he did not panickedly pull away again. "You were just in a bad realm of the dream world. It was just a bad dream." Jack did not meet his gaze. He sat there, hunched up and trembling, as Mark tried to soothe him. Mark frowned.  _There must be some way I can calm him down._ Then an idea came to him, and he tried softly humming a song he remembered his mother often singing a long time ago.

Jack stiffened. The tune itself felt haunting and mystifying, but it didn't feel alien. It almost sounded like an old Celtic song he remembered from his childhood, but he couldn't tell whether his adrenaline-pumped mind was trying to jump the shark or not. Nevertheless, the same effect was reached. He felt his heart behind to calm, and his eyelids started to grow heavy as he let the hummed lullaby wash over him.

Mark smiled a little as he saw Jack's breathing slow. The small man's little chest didn't bob as violently, and his eyelids drooped with sedated tire. _It's working._  He kept humming as he slid his hand closer and carefully cupped it around the human. Jack stirred with a small noise and shifted his weight, but his adrenaline had ebbed away by now. He yawned as the gargantuan warrior held his breath and slowly touched Jack's back, and he gently rubbed his spine with two fingers. He felt the intricate muscles stiffen under his touch at first, but then the tension melted away as Jack slumped and let out a tired murmur, too sleepy to contradict. Mark hummed a little longer, and then he sighed in relief as Jack rubbed his eyes, looking exhausted.

"Come on then." Mark gently nudged the dazed human. "Try to sleep again," he murmured. "Your wounds need to heal." Jack slumped against the furs and closed his eyes, and Mark pulled the soft covers over him again. Within seconds, Jack was lightly snoring, back asleep.  _Good. He's resting now._ Mark sat back and crossed his legs, watching the alien rest as he once again wondered with awe where this strange creature had come from.

 

 

 

 

"He's still asleep?" Amy studied the sleeping Jack incredulously. "And I thought you dreamwalked hard." Mark chuckled a little, but he continued gathering up their belongings.

"He had a rough night," he replied, "Bad dreams."

"Well, he needs to rest a lot if he wants to walk again anyway." Amy stood and resumed packing her herbs.

"Didn't he already walk though?"

"Determinated adrenaline rush," Amy said matter-of-factly, "When he saw us, he must have thought we were going to hurt him, so he tried to run away; pure instincts."

"Ah." Mark nodded and wrapped a cloak around her shoulders. "Here."

"Thank you." She nuzzled his chin gratefully and did the fastening. "I don't think he'll be able to walk for a while anyway," she continued. "It's miraculous enough that he can still move."

"Determination," Mark echoed with a small grin. Amy nodded.

"Guess so," she agreed with a small laugh. Then someone knocked on the wooden pole at the tent's entrance.

"Hey!" It was Ethan outside. "You guys almost ready?" He asked cheerfully.

"Yeah!" Mark looked over at Jack again. "How will we take him with us?" He whispered.

"I have an idea." Amy picked up a small pouch with a long strap that wrapped around from one side to the other. "I thought this up before going to bed last night. Carry him in this, and he can stay warm. The fur will stave off the cold, and so will your body's warmth."

"Amy, that's brilliant!" He kissed her and slung the pouch on over one shoulder. It rested comfortably against his chest. Amy carefully scooped up their patient, covers and all, and slipped him inside the pouch.

"That should hold even against the  _Frösting_." She buckled the fastening and stepped back to admire her handiwork. She nodded approvingly. "It'll do." Mark glanced at the pouch. Tiny and hidden away, resting inside was that strange little creature that he had been looking after for what in Earth terms was called a week. He let his hand rest above the pouch and just briefly touched the skin, feeling the diminutive figure wrapped in seclusion.

"Thanks Amy," he said quietly. Amy nodded and turned to pack up the last of their things.

"Hey, Ethan!" She shouldered out of the tent with the heavy bundles. "You still there? Good, can you help me load this up? Mark's getting ready still." Mark looked to his right and saw his coat. He took it and slipped it around his shoulders, wearing it as a cloak.  _Hopefully I'll be enough to keep him warm._

When he finally left the barren tent and worked on taking it down, Ethan came back over to help him. "What's with the necklace?" He asked playfully. Mark felt a tremor of guilty fear run through him.

"Oh, nothing. It's just something Amy made for me."

"Aww! A gift?" Ethan asked excitedly. "That's so sweet." Mark felt his cheeks reddening and simply nodded, too embarrassed to say more. "You're so lucky," Ethan went on cheerfully, not noticing Mark's flustered reaction. "I mean, Kathryn made me one once, but she's just a friend, you know? It was, uh..." He tried to wrack his brain for the correct word.

"Familial?" Mark offered. "Camaraderie?"

"Yeah, sure. That." Ethan shrugged. "Whatever, you know what I mean." Mark looked out to the foresty horizon. The sun was young, but cloudy snow hid its circular shape, and the whiteness expanded from the ground and into the beyond. It was going to be a long journey.

"Indeed I do," He murmured.


	7. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The oncoming cold season grows to become quite the hazard: Winter has come.

The cold march along the migration path was long, chilly, and arduous. But that was expected. Having tread this trail for many moons, the tribe was well prepared to endure the next few cycles of walking. At the front and back of the huge group were the strong and able-bodied men, along with light-footed hunters spotted across the flanks to protect and scouts. In the middle amassed the woman with their children, carrying their possessions on their strong backs or dragging them behind them on small carts. The young boys not quite old enough to be assigned their tasks would run around in games of chase and plunge through the growing snow. They all wore furs to protect their vulnerable skins, and the children often complained that they were cold or tired throughout the journey as they usually did. They longed for the easy season of  _Jeóbien's_ warm smile, and the planet's loving embrace of pastel verdure. But the time of color and warmth was over: The period of the long cold and the snow would reign for a while before softening back to the time of bounty.

Mark checked in on his passenger whenever no one else was looking his direction. He stood on the summit of a small hill now, peeking in the sling to see Jack sound asleep.  _Good, he doesn't look cold._ Mark closed the pouch and studied the horizon. Far behind them was the plateau that housed their huts during the moon of Flowering Song and the moon of  _Jeóbien_. Stretched out beside them was the burnt and now frozen forest Mark had rescued Jack from, and up ahead and beyond was the trail. Their home for the moon of Falling Leaves and the moon of  _Crÿstales_ lay yonder, past the mountainous region filled with many obstacles and treacheries that needed to be overcome. Gazing out at the horizon, the young warrior found himself wandering in his own thoughts.

 _"Protect the young, heal the wounded."_ Mark could recall his father's words from when he was a little boy.  _"No man left behind; a chieftain must put the lives of his people above his own. That's how it's been since the time of your great grandfather, and his forefathers before him,"_  he had said,  _"You must remember that, when you're chieftain."_  Mark sighed.  _Guess dad never thought that he'd pass away so soon._  He pulled a crisp web-shaped leaf off its branch and watched as it was whisked away by the wind. _Did he know that he was sick then? That his body would slowly fail on him, trapping his spirit in a prison until that prison gave out?_

He stood there for a spell when he heard Tyler's voice ringing out. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and peered down from his perch to see the tribe stopping for the night in a ridge sheltered beneath his hill. "Make sure the women and children have the most sheltered nooks," the chieftain was advising, "We'll need the patrolmen out on the boundaries. Hunters, try to find something to eat along the Misty Forest's borders. Ethan, take a couple of scouts with you to survey the path ahead."  _I should head back down._  Mark cupped his hand over Jack's sling as he carefully dropped his way down the steep side of the hill. "Mark!" Tyler noticed the young warrior quickly. "There you are, how does the weather look?"

"There's a storm coming overnight," Mark informed him, "But there's enough time to fill our bellies and get the tents up, I reckon."

"Good. Go make sure Amy gets settled in, we need to keep those herbs and medicines safe." Mark nodded.

"Will do." He left Tyler to his duties and hurried to find his mate. He found her against the rocky wall, pushing sticks firmly into the ground so that a canopy might shelter them from the wind and snow.

"How is he?" That was the first question she asked when she saw him. Mark fumbled open the strap and peered inside.

"He's resting," he answered with a smile, "But I'm sure he'll wake soon."

"He'll be hungry, just like you are I'm sure," Amy teased. Mark grinned.

"Starving!" He agreed.

"Well put him down somewhere and help me finish setting this up. The hunting patrol will be back in no time." Amy was right. By the time they had a comfortable temporary shelter established, all of the patrols were trotting back to the rest of their people.

"We've got a good meal tonight!" Kathryn remarked.

"And no troubles up ahead," Ethan added. "This is going to be an easy migration, but there's a storm coming overnight."

"I'll make sure everyone puts on extra furs."

"I can do that," Amy offered, overhearing the conversation.

"Are you sure Amy? Don't you have to set out all your supplies and-"

"Mark can handle it for me." Mark nodded.

"It'll be snug as a bug by the time you get back," he promised. Then, as Amy started to leave with an armful of pelts, he added playfully, "And don't forget to bring food!" Amy glanced over her shoulder and nodded, catching the meaningful look Mark gave their shelter; their secret patient was already settled inside, still sound asleep. Mark watched her go for a few seconds, and then he turned and crawled into the cozy den. A pelt stretched comfortably over the snowy floor, preventing frostbite. Medicinal materials were stacked against the walls, loosely propped together in neat stacks of parcels, with labels that were unlike any Earthian language.

Mark sighed and set to work. He knew the healer well enough to organize the precious supplies by her standard preferences. It was at this time, however, as the sun  _Jeóbien_ sank behind the wintery horizon, that Jack finally woke from his drowsy slumber. He frowned and twitched his fingers, and then he weakly opened his eyes as his body tensed in an effort to move. He discovered quickly that he ached too much to budge, and his pained groan caught Mark's attention.

"Hey, hey." Mark scooted up to Jack and leaned over him, shushing the injured Irishman softly. "It's alright _líten häna_ , it's okay, shh..." He used the tip of his pinky to gently stroke the human's head. Jack made a face and fidgeted, but he was too weak and drowsy to protest. "It's alright." Mark smiled softly and ruffled his hair. "I bet you're hungry, huh? Amy's going to be back with something for you to eat soon, and then you can get some more sleep. Okay?" He didn't expect an answer, so Mark tucked the soft furs more tightly around the human and finished tidying. Jack had to swallow down his anxiety and close his eyes, counting to ten, and also remind hisself that he was in no condition to be rejecting help... even if help came in the form of two gargantuan people who were hiding him like a stowaway from their own tribe, and could accidentally kill him as easily as swatting at a fly.

He also made a mental note to try not to think on that.

 _Jeóbien's_ rays were ebbing away by the time Amy finally slipped in with a covered platter consisting of two large creatures similar to rabbit, and a few bunches of berries.

"Mm!" Mark admired Amy as she handed him his share. "Have I told you I love you?" He said sweetly.

"Nope." She winked and giggled. Mark chuckled alongside her.

"Well, let's make sure he eats first before we go disputing who-loves-who."

"You're right." Amy peered at Jack, who had dozed off again. "Aww." She smiled sympathetically. "He's still asleep?"

"He was awake earlier, but I think he should really eat something." Amy agreed and gently nudged him awake. Jack frowned, his head lolling as he turned away from Amy's finger. "Come on," she cooed softly as she nudged him again, "I know you're tired but you need to eat." Jack underwent the same procedure as he did with Mark, trying to succumb to sleep until he was annoyed enough by their pestering to sigh and open his eyes once more. Both giants smiled when they saw his brilliant blue irises.

"There we go." Mark plucked a  _crépe_ off its vine and offered it to Jack. Jack stared dumbly at it for a few awkward seconds before he realized how empty his stomach felt and how dry his throat was. _Right... need to eat._  He had trouble sitting up, but Amy put two fingers under his back and helped him up. He took the familiar berry and began nibbling on it.

Mark smiled kindly and glanced outside. "Well, let's eat and get some rest," he murmured, "We'll need our strength for morrow."

 

 

 

 

Ethan was right: It was going to be an easy migration. But what he didn't account for was how hard the voyage would be for a tiny, injured human, especially if there was a blizzard screeching in the middle of the night.

Jack woke up freezing. The wind was howling and clawing viciously at everything in its path. Though the giants were all sound asleep, warm and comfortable, the wind was cutting through every small crevice it could and blasting Jack with its chilly breath. He couldn't feel his own body. His teeth chattered, but he wasn't aware of it. He even bit his own lip and felt nothing as he struggled into consciousness.

Jack shuddered and looked around him. His blanket had been whisked away, and it was now draped over Mark's flank by the wind. The human lay semi-exposed in the shoulder bag, with only his human clothes and Amy's gauzes to feebly defend him. The wind continued to whistle and scream through the ravine. Jack understood immediately that he was in an extremely bad situation, but he didn't have the strength to move.

It took all of his effort to consciously part his lips and gasp weakly, trying to speak. "H... h-help..." His voice was in no condition to be its usual loud self. It was hoarse and grated, nevermind that the wind whipped his words away the moment they parted from his tongue. He licked his cold dry lips and tasted blood. "H-hel... help...!" His strength was fading. He could barely shiver now. It took a great deal of effort just to move his fingers. He focused on blinking, trying to keep his eyes from freezing in their sockets.

"Translator at twenty-five percent progress." Jack stirred at Susie's voice. "Upgrading now."  _Really? Now?_ Jack wondered. But then an idea struck him.

"S-S-Susie," he chattered through his clacking teeth. "I-in-niti-iate th-the d-d-dog... wh-whistle."

"Confirmation?" Susie intoned.

"C-c-code C-Ce-Cerberus." The microchip put on a sound that, to Jack, was a high and soft hum. But for something or someone with sensitive hearing, it was like a high-pitched scream right in their ears. As an effective example, Mark woke with a start, covering his ears as he twisted around and sat up.

"What the  _Hel_!" He grunted. Amy sat up too, covering her ears as well.

"Ow, ow, ow!" She muttered under her breath. Mark noticed the extra pelt in his lap and picked it up.

"Amy." He held it up to his mate, and her eyes widened. He looked toward Jack, and when he saw the state the human was in his countenance turned to horror. "Amy!" He pushed to Jack's side and peered at the quivering figure. Jack could barely keep his eyes open now, but he saw Mark's silhouette and dyed hair blazing between his eyelids, and he almost smiled in relief.

"He's very bad," Amy noted quickly. "He needs warmth. Now." The duo worked together without any more words. As Amy collected a small pile of twigs together at the center of their shelter, Mark carefully scooped up their frozen patient. The dog whistle finally shut off, a great relief to both giants, but Jack was still on the verge of death.

"Come on, come on," Mark whispered, cradling the human against his chest. "Come on  _líten häna_ , come on..." Amy pushed the fur floor away from her collection of sticks and bracken.

"It's wet," she warned. Mark shook his head and held his hand over the pile.

"It'll still work." He closed his eyes and concentrated. His hand hovered over the useless collection of sodden bracken, his pinky and ring fingers partially tucked like he was throwing the ground a three-fingered peace sign. He took only one, slow breath as he focused, tuning out the malevolent howl of the storm and closing in on himself. He felt the firey warmth that surged through his veins, the flames that warmed his core and protected his body. His eyebrows twitched a bit closer as he furrowed them, concentrating hard as he pictured his veins glowing with heat. He imagined all of that potential heat surging through his arm, blazing into his extended hand. And then, despite the biting air of the freezing blizzard, flames suddenly flickered to life on his fingertips.

Amy watched, silently, but with awe. She never got tired of watching it, a simple but beautiful gift. The tiny flames grew, sprouting like a phoenix from the ashes, and engulfing Mark's hand with a beautiful orange glow. Just the very sight of the magical color warmed her, and she watched as the hot tongues fell from his fingers and dropped into the bracken. It took a little time for the wood to catch on, but it dried quickly in that golden heavenly light and sprouted flowers of fire, birthing color in a world of blandness.

Mark grunted and swayed as the flames in his hands evaporated, and Amy shifted to support him. "Hey." She put her petite hand under his, making sure that he didn't accidentally squish Jack as she wrapped her other arm around his. "You did great," she murmured. Mark bashfully smiled, blinking blearily at her.

"Just... m-make sure he gets warm," he mumbled. Amy nodded and gently cupped the quivering patient. Jack shuddered violently as he was set beside the fire and snuggled in his blanket. He lay there, too weak to do anything other than shake every so often and let his lips quiver. Amy gently ruffled his hair, scraping the frost out of it and trying to tidy the disheveled mess. Mark slumped against the shelter wall, breathing a little heavily and looking like he could use a monster drink.

"You'll get better," Amy said with a glance, "It just takes practice." Mark nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"I know." He yawned and ruffled his hair. "It's just so taxing... and I don't have time to be lying around in snooze mode." She smiled and rubbed his arm.

"When the grass wakes and the flowers bloom, you'll have plenty of time," she laughed softly, "But until then, I think you should hunt more often, so that way no one will get suspicious about you spending so much time with me."

"But..." Mark's head lolled as he looked over Amy's shoulder. "What about-"

"I'll take care of him," Amy promised. She gently pushed him, urging him to lay down. "Now rest, you meathead."

"Meathead?" Mark huffed and tapped her arm. "How dare you!" He laughed but still complied. "Is he better now, though?" Amy looked over her shoulder. Mark frowned, worried. Anxious thoughts began pouring out of his mouth, and words flew out before he could think. "What if- what if I made a mistake?" He murmured, "Wh-what if this is the gods' way of telling me that- that I shouldn't have-"

"Shouldn't have what?" Amy raised her brow at him. "Shouldn't have brought him with us? Shouldn't have sheltered him, or saved his life? No, Mark..." She put her hand on his cheek. "You have a big heart. You are a master of  _fÿre_ , and the gods brought that creature to you in the embrace of flames." She poked his chest for emphasis. " _You_ made the right decision.  _You_ followed your heart, and that's all they could ever ask of you. It's all I could ever ask of you." Mark blinked, and then he slowly nodded.

"You're right... as always." A smile bloomed on his lips. He took her hand and kissed it. "You keep telling me not to doubt myself, but you're right. I did make the right choice, even if he isn't from our world. It's my sworn duty to protect the innocent, and he's done nothing wrong. He deserves just as much respect as that which every animal of our harmonious cycle gets." Amy nodded, beaming proudly.

"Exactly." Mark peered over Amy's shoulder again.

"So is he okay now?" Amy checked again.

"Well... He's lucky we didn't wake later," she replied, "Or else he wouldn't have made it, nevermind a loss of limbs or wrath of gods." Behind her, Jack let out a pleasant sigh and shifted under his covers, shivering as his body thawed.

"I'm not sure luck had anything to do with it." Mark turned over on his side. "You heard it too," he added, "That strange noise?" Amy nodded.

"It was like screaming... but right in my ears," she confirmed. "Or like the wind, when it whistles."

"Well... I think that, somehow, he did that."

"What? But how?" Amy looked back at Jack again. "He was balanced between life and death." Mark scratched his head, and some strands fell in front of his puzzled countenance.

"I don't know. But you're right. We need to be more careful." He bit his lip, and then he slowly added, "I... I think there's more to him than we think." Amy shot him an alarmed look.

"What do you mean?" He opened and closed his mouth, and then he shrugged.

"I'm not sure. It's just... he acts like no animal I've ever seen. It's not just that he looks like one of us, but the... but..." Mark struggled to come up with a good argument for his feeling. He couldn't understand it at the time, but something deep in the back of his mind told him that there was far more to this creature from the stars than what meets the eye.

"... Should we tell Tyler?" Amy suggested.

"No!" Mark winced and shook his head. "No. Not yet. For now, lets just focus on keeping him safe."

"He'll need something warm in his belly." Amy sounded relieved to finally change the topic. "I'll brew some leaves." She tenderly kissed Mark's forehead. "Just rest now. He's in good hands." Mark closed his eyes and heard the healer rummage around quietly for a bowl. There was a brief lapse of silence, and then he felt something drape over his chest. He opened his eyes to see that Amy had moved Jack and his blankets and put them over the warrior's clavicle. The human still felt cold, and he was still shivering, but already the body heat emanating from the giant was taking effect. Mark glanced at Amy for explanation, but the woman had already turned her back. He looked at Jack again and sighed softly.  _Don't worry, líten häna._  He put his hand gently over the small figure under the furs and let his head touch the ground once more. _I won't let anything happen to you._

 


	8. Borders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Near the end of the tribe's migration to their winter lands, Mark not only receives a sign that his good will served a noble deed, but he also seems to be making progress with Jack-- who has the ugly end of the common cold.

Jack's sudden sneeze was so hard that he smacked his forehead against Mark's chest, startling the warrior. "Was that you?" Ethan gawked at him. "You all right? I thought the cold didn't get to you."

"Er... y-yes," Mark lied, "Uh, sorry." He quickly faked a second sneeze to sell the part. "Just an itchy nose!"

"Don't apologize," Ethan laughed and moved on. "Just light up a  _fÿre_  and feel better soon!" Mark rubbed the frosted whiskers above his lips and waited until the blue haired boy was out of earshot before he snuck a peek at his sick passenger.

"Gods that was loud," he whispered. Jack sniffled and rubbed his runny nose, looking miserable. Amy paused beside him and positioned her body so that no one would accidentally spot the human as they passed.

"He's fortunate the  _Chïlá_ is all he has," she murmured. Mark nodded and closed the flap.

"Traveling isn't doing much good, I reckon."

"No, it isn't." Amy sighed and checked the sun's position in the sky. "Almost three cycles of the sky now. We're almost there, he just needs to hold on for a little longer."

"Cha." Mark nodded and continued plowing through the snow. The blizzard had officially marked the beginning of winter. The white powder already piled up to his shins, and snow fell more frequently. The strange trees glittered with sparkling ice, locked in the cold timeless sleep with the grass until the air warmed up again. When night fell, the temperature dropped severely, but now Mark and Amy took the right precautions to ensure their patient's survival: They checked for any gaps that wind might steal through, no matter how small, and they kept him near either a fire or Mark himself to keep warm. Tea helped, not just to keep warm but to also heal. His wounds were on their way to healing, but it would be a long time before his leg would fully heal.

 Not that Jack had anywhere he could flee to.

" _Täjwéh_!" Tyler's call rang in the chill air. The tribe stopped and waited, while the children were puzzled and asking their mamas what was going on. Mark trudged to the front to accompany the chieftain and officers.

"What is it?" He asked. Tyler was scanning the landscape ahead of them.

"We're at the edge of their territory," he intoned, "We wait." And so they waited. It was a clear afternoon with little wind, so it was a nice day to breathe all the crisp fresh air. Mark told Tyler he would scout and moved away from the others so he could check on Jack again. As soon as he found an isolated little hill that overlooked the forest line, he sat down and opened the shoulder pouch.

"Hey líten häna," he murmured comfortingly to Jack, "How you feeling? I bet you need some fresh air. It's not easy being cooped up in there, huh?" Jack mumbled a drowsy protest when he was blasted with cold air, and he tried to hide under his blankets as he coughed miserably. Mark chuckled softly and ruffled the top of his head that poked out between the animal furs. "It's alright. No one else is here. They won't notice you." He carefully reached in and cupped his hand underneath, scooping up the grumpy Irishman and setting him down on his thigh. Jack groaned hoarsely and tugged on his blanket again, not in the mood for anything other than sleep right now. Mark laughed, greatly amused. "Okay, fine, just get a little bit of air in you, cha? At least look around. It's beautiful here." Mark smiled at their gorgeous surroundings. "The  _issen_ sparkles... the trees sleep... And though it may be cold, it's a beautiful thing, this place." Jack did look. He did remember snow, and he loved its aesthetic just as much as the last time he had seen it all those years ago. But he appreciated the heat emanating from Mark's thigh more.

"I loved  _issen_ when I was younger," Mark murmured, "All the crystals and the beauty of frozen time, and leaving footprints in the white powder." Mark chuckled. "Before we grew up, we'd always play hunting games with one another. Leaving tracks in the snow was always great fun, especially if you managed to devise a fake trail." Jack peeked out from under his covers as Mark sighed. "My dad would help me practice before he fell ill..." He smiled sadly, eyes glazing over as he became distant. "He was the chieftain, but when he died his deputy had to take over. And that was Tyler's dad." Mark looked down at Jack. "I don't mind not being chief." He rubbed the Irishman's little head, mindlessly stroking his soft little waves of hair. "Tyler's great, and I'm honored to follow him. I doubt I'd have made a good leader anyway, but..." Jack glanced up at the giant as he grew lost in thought. "I just wish I could have had more time with him," Mark murmured. The Irishman blinked a couple of times. Susie suddenly beeped in his ear and intoned that the translator was at thirty-seven percent completion, but he barely heard it. The news he'd gathered from the few precious words accurately translated really hit home.

Mark sighed and rubbed his eyes before he suddenly felt a small touch on his other hand. He looked down to see that Jack had leaned out and put his hand on the much larger hand sitting in the giant's lap. His eyes widened for a second, but then he smiled and turned his hand over, affectionately ruffling Jack's hair before letting it rest back down again. Jack kept his hand on Mark's, sliding it across the warm surface and then placing it spread out on the giant's thumb pad; his hand was small enough to fit entirely in the fingerprint. The touch was so feathery and cold, giving Mark a small thrill as he smiled again, threatening tears fading back to bright optimism.

"You are a very strange creature," he remarked with a light laugh. Jack smiled back, finding himself meeting Mark's gaze as they regarded each other with wondrous peace. This was soon broken by Mark, who gently pulled his hand away, but only to gingerly scoop Jack up in his arms and snuggle him and the soft blankets. He was so warm, even seeming to silence the tickle in Jack's throat. But as he sighed and relaxed in the warrior's hand, Mark suddenly noticed two silver blurs moving across the horizon, and his eyes widened.

"There they are!" He quickly put Jack back in his sling and took off running back to the tribe. Jack grunted as he was knocked around by the giant's gait, but Mark hurried across the drift and made it back to the rest of his tribe.

"They're here!" He called. The others roused gladly at this news, and no sooner had Tyler emerged from the mingling groups did the two arctic streaks approach. Their powerful legs propelled them through the snow, but little kicked up and left behind hardly a pawprint to follow; muscles rippled under shimmering silver fur with light blue marks; slender chests heaved frosty billows that trailed behind like the black-tipped tail streaming behind them.

"The  _cholubändes_ ," The chieftain exclaimed gladly. "Bring the offerings!" Mark caught a glimpse of Ethan's blue hair bobbing through the crowd as he dashed away to get the offerings. The two animals approached the migrating tribe and finally slowed, and Tyler in turn stepped forward and offered a chuff in greeting. Jack, wanting to know what all the fuss was about, was elbowing his way up to the lip of the pouch despite his weak condition. As the two animals chuffed back in response, making low purring noises, Jack finally managed to poke his head out. He was astounded to see Tyler crouch down before two mansion-sized snow leopards and bow his head; the rest of the tribe did the same, including Mark [which almost unbalanced the Irishman, but he managed to hold on]. The slightly smaller one-- the female-- walked up to him and headbutted the chieftain's shoulder. She continued to emit a purring noise that sounded more like an amplified house cat, but she did not attack. The other watched, sitting warily on top of the snow as Ethan hurried up with two skin-wrapped packages.

"I got the meats!" He set the offerings down and backed away with a quick duck of his head. Both felines approached and sniffed the packs before growling in approval. Tyler finally lifted his head as they checked the offerings.

"It's the usual kind, the uncommon  _pâelfreis_ that you do not see in your territory often," he said, informing in a soft-spoken tone of respect. "There is also  _yorüs_ , and newly cured pelts for your cubs. Meat, in exchange for safe passage through your lands." The male sniffed approvingly at the bargaining contents, but the female wandered away. She turned toward the tribe and prowled toward them, slipping through their ranks as the people snuck confused glances and mystified whispers. When she passed Amy, the young doctor dared to look up, and her eyes widened when she realized just who the leopard was heading for.

Jack was terrified and ducked down, but Mark didn't even notice until the soft muzzle bumped his forehead. Startled, Mark looked up and into the blue eyes of the sacred creature. She held his gaze with an intense stare, but the warrior couldn't bring himself to look away. Her whiskers twitched, and then her head turned down toward the pouch draped over his chest. Mark felt a flare of panic, both fearing for Jack's safety and for the possible discovery his tribe might make when they realized the human's existence.

But when the silence and irresistible curiosity had coaxed Jack to peek again, the leopard only purred softly and blew a gentle breath of warm wind. He flinched and almost fell back in the pouch. The female looked back up at Mark again with those wise blue eyes, and Mark stared back. But now, his fear was fading. A comfort stole over him, and despite the cool color he felt a soothing warmth sparkling in their depths. She rumbled and then broke the gaze, turning tail and gracefully returning back to her mate.

Jack let the breath he had been holding out and sighed in relief, watching as the big cats picked up the offerings, flicked their fluff-tipped ears at Tyler, and then strided off into the snowy distance. He slumped down, having only been worried about how close to those fangs he had gotten. But Mark was still reeling from his encounter _. It was a sign... it had to be, I know it was! I was right to save him, I know that now. Oh, thank the gods...!_ But when he looked up, he couldn't help but feel sheepish and hot with embarrassment as he realized that all eyes were on him. Most everyone looked astounded, Tyler most of all, but Amy looked relieved mixed with apprehension.

"... Probably last night's dinner," she suddenly announced, "He had the last of it this morning." Chuckles ensued as everyone stood and brushed the snow off their clothes and gathering their things. Mark sighed with relief and brushed white powder off his knee as he too rose. He took the opportunity to glance down at Jack and notice his slight trembling in the safe darkness.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered in the hopes of comforting the alien, "She wouldn't have hurt you."

"Mark!" At his name, Mark looked up to see Tyler coming up to him.

"Cha?"

"While everyone else readies their supplies, can we take a walk?" Mark's brow quirked.

"Wha- now?"

"Yes." The warrior had no choice but to follow his leader away from the rest of the tribe. He glanced over his shoulder and caught a nervous look from Amy reflecting his own dread. They trudged out a small ways, just set apart from the others so that the wind would not echo their words into listening ears. When they stopped and looked out at the vast plains, Mark's foot fidgeted nervously in the snow, as he waited for the chieftain to speak.

"... You know I value you as a great warrior and friend," Tyler finally said. Mark felt hot again as he swallowed with a suddenly dry throat.

"O-of course," he answered. Tyler's shoulders shrugged with a sigh, and he turned to him.

"I-I mean it, really. You're a great warrior, and there's no one else I would trust more. Which is why I wouldn't be upset if you took my place as Chief." Mark's eyes bulged.

"What!? Why would I- I would never do that, Tyler!" He exclaimed, "You're our leader, I wouldn't dare mutinize, or--"

"It's all right, really," Tyler interrupted wearily, "The gods clearly want you to be leader instead. I mean, what else could that sign have possibly meant? Why else would the  _cholubände_ have gone to you, if not to decree you as our true leader?" Mark's head was spinning.

"No, no! Tyler," he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, "That is a flattering but blasphemous suggestion. Not to mention that I would make a terrible leader." He managed a wry smile. "You're doing a great job, honestly. I would follow you to and beyond the depths of  _Ygrâtr's_ Maw. Besides, Amy was right: I-I had the rest of my supper early morning." Tyler still looked uncertain, so Mark gently added, "I know my place, and it's at your side. You are our leader, no one else. There could be no greater chieftain that has brought us more peaceful times." The leader was quiet for a few heartbeats, and then his dimples relaxed as he smiled a little.

"Thank you, Mark." He pat the warrior's broad shoulder. "I don't think I would have made it this far without your support." Mark chuckled.

"Cha, maybe a little bit." They laughed, and then shoulder to shoulder they headed back to the rest of the tribe to finish the journey to the winter grounds. 


	9. Boundaries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the migration finally ceases, the future becomes uncertain for Jack as he wonders what will happen to him as soon as his leg is healed.

After a comfortable drowse, Jack awoke in the familiar darkness of his pouch. It was almost completely pitch black, save for the thin crevice of light that flashed briefly overhead, and was just as warm and comfy as ever. The Irishman sighed and stretched his legs under the vast covers, feeling his injuries groan less boisterously in protest. _I'm definitely getting better._ He paused to try and listen to the outside world, but nothing was to be heard over the thumping heartbeat or working lungs right in his ear.

Jack sighed and closed his eyes, still trying to wrap his mind around his situation: it was still hard to believe that the very pouch he was resting in could probably easily fit a few elephants, let alone that the rocking motion created by Mark walking was effortless to the giant.

Oh yeah, giants. Did he mention the freaking hundred feet tall humanoids that could use one finger to crush him without even breaking a sweat?

Jack shuddered to himself and coughed quietly. It was frightening, being stuck in this new world. He'd been optimistic about finding aliens... but this... this was on a whole new level. And that cat... He shivered and tugged on the soft pelts that he was practically swimming in. _I've already had one brush with death with that birdie panther bitch, I don't need any more close calls._  But Mark had told him, "Don't be afraid."  _What did that mean?_ Jack doubted that leopard had been a vegetarian, and it'd looked like it was about to have a snack out of him! Not to mention Mark had seemed nervous about the big cat too. And if a giant that Jack was only just starting to get used to was nervous about a big bad predator...

"I need air," Jack muttered, stifling a cough. He rolled over with a huff and was about to push on the leathery wall to get Mark's attention, but then he stopped. He hesitated for a minute, and then he reached for his chest and scratched at the bandages, feeling around until his hand touched cool metal. _My necklace! It's still there!_ He sighed with relief.  _Oh thank god, if I'd lost this then Signe would've given me an earful!_ He held on to the slim pendant and tilted its glinting shape in the darkness. It was still just as precious and important as ever; now that he had enough strength to treasure it once more, it comforted him to hold the little icon in his hand. _What was it Signe said it symbolized?_  As he tried to rack his brain for an answer, the continual swinging suddenly stopped with a jolting halt. Jack started and tucked the necklace away again, and he strained his hearing to try and figure out what was happening.

"Finally!" Mark was sighing in relief as the rest of his people gathered around with their belongings. "We can leave this accursed cold and set up shelter for the rest of the  _Frösting_."

"Ha! I thought you didn't get cold," Ethan teased beside him. Mark huffed and playfully shoved the scrawnier male.

"Because I'm bigger than you."

"Or fatter!" He then let out a mock gasp and wrangled Ethan in, locking him under his arm and knuckling his head as he squawked and thrashed. "Hey, hey! Okay, okay, I yield-  _täjwéh_ ,  _täjwéh_!!!" They both separated and laughed.

"Hey! If you're done acting like  _líten chúlbas,_  then you should get a foot on and help build the huts!" Tyler was calling them out from across the clearing with an amused smile over his demeanor. Mark grinned back at him and messed with Ethan's hair one last time before hurrying off to find Amy. As he trekked through the crowded lot, he suddenly remembered Jack and risked a peek down at him. The small human was sprawled on his back, the covers messed up as well as his hair as he stared up at the giant with wide, concerned eyes.

" _Serönoba_ , sorry," Mark whispered. "Nothing looks broken though. I'l try to be more careful." He dropped the flap and finally found Amy toward the center of the spacious area. She was in the process of setting up the skeletal foundation of the hut, though she was having trouble reaching the top of the last cylindrical plank.

"Need some help?" Mark reached over her and clipped the hide down. Amy smiled up at him.

"Cha, thanks." She then turned around and looked into the shoulder pouch to check on Jack. "How's he holding up?"

"Pretty good. A little jostled, but he's keeping warm."

"That's good." She gave Jack a small smile. "How about I hold him while you finish up the hut?"

"Sure." Mark unclipped the shoulder strap and carefully passed the bag to the healer. Amy held it in her arms and backed up, watching and later sorting her supplies as Mark set to work. Jack by now really wanted to know what was up, so he reached up for the lip of the bag and hauled himself up to peer out from under the flap. His back ached in the process of doing so, as did his strained calf, but he managed and got a good look at the occupied world outside. Just to the left was Amy's weirdly labelled packages, and to the right he caught a glimpse of the outer fur layer of the being-built hut. Mark's feet were shuffling here and there in the snow, protected by his metal guards and reflecting the low sun quite blindingly. Jack squinted and turned away to study the rest of the view. The tribe was setting up their village for the moon of Falling Leaves and the  _Frösting_ , a time of cold bitter storms and scarcity. They were settling down for the winter season.

 _Huh. I guess their migration's done._  Jack crossed his arms and put his chin down on them. _I wonder what happens now? Maybe there's a special reason they come here? Some part of their culture? Or ancestral traditions? Or maybe it's warmer here because of global thermal winds... or something..._  Jack sighed.

"Who am I kidding?" He muttered, "I'm not a scientist. I don't have the foggiest idea what the hell is going on, or why-" The flap was suddenly pulled off of him, and Jack froze. He looked up to see Amy, who smiled at him.

"Aww, you're squeaking," she said. "And you managed to climb up there. Guess that means you're feeling better, good." She set it back down and continued sorting. "It won't be much longer before you're up and walking again, and then you can go back into the unclaimed territories," she added. Jack stiffened.  _Unclaimed territories? Wait, does she mean the wild!? Hell no, I'd die not a step in that crazy place!_ His eyes immediately turned toward Mark.  _They're not really gonna just kick me out once my leg heals, are they!?_ But then Jack thought back to his own kind; if there was ever a wild animal hurt, then one would-- or, should-- only capture it legally to heal it up and then send it back out to go home. _But my home isn't even on this rock! How am I suppose to survive after my leg heals!?_

Mark finally finished adding the last layer to the winter home and went over to Amy. "All done," he announced, "What do you want me to bring in first?" Amy pointed to a bag of her equipment.

"That's the heaviest." After Mark hauled it into the hut and swept some snow out, he came back out for Amy to then add, "He's healing up quite nicely. It won't be much longer before he can take care of himself." That made Mark halt. He paused, and hesitated.

"... I... Don't think we can release him," he admitted slowly. She looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

"What are you talking about? He's lame, but not forever. His wounds will heal, and then-"

"But he isn't from here." Mark crouched beside her and shifted the flap, catching a good look of Jack's terrified stare back up at him. "He doesn't even belong on these grounds," Mark argued, "Just look at him! Even now, safe with us, he's still afraid. How do you expect him to survive in these unfamiliar lands?"

"He's a wild animal, of course he's afraid!" Amy protested, "And we don't even know where he's from, how can we possibly get him back to his kind?"

"Exactly! But-" Mark stopped when he realized their voices were starting to rise; Jack had plugged his hands over his ears and scrunched his eyes, and a couple of the children nearby were casting confused looks over at the couple. Mark sighed and took Amy's hand. "Let's just focus on getting him up and about his feet again. Then we can discuss what happens next." Amy nodded.

"Sounds good to me," she conceded. "Here, you can take him inside. Your pouch," she added a little louder for the eavesdropping kids, "Will appreciate being out of the cold." They shrugged it off and went back to playing their game. Mark nodded his head and carried the bag inside. He set it down in the corner and sat cross-legged, cocking his head and leaning down a little.

"You can come out now,  _líten häna_. It's much warmer in here." Jack pulled himself up onto the lip again and struggled to push the flap up a few inches, but when a coughing fit overtook him he fell back inside. Mark smiled at his efforts and let out a soft chuckle. Here." He reached in behind Jack and gently swept him up, supporting his body with a curled hand and slowly lifting him up. His face seemed to turn ashen gray as he trembled and hugged Mark's thumb, but it was a tight and desperate embrace. The warrior hesitated, clearly confused. "What? What's wrong? Is your illness worse?" He studied the human for a bit before he noticed how scrunched up Jack was in his palm, as far away from the edges as possible. Curious, Mark lifted his hand up a little higher, and the Irishman responded with a small whimper and held on even tighter.

"... Huh." He lowered his hand, actually wincing when he felt Jack's fingernails digging into the stratum corneum layer of his finger. "Hey, hey, easy, I'm putting you down now,  _câlmé_. You weren't acting like this before, were you?" By the time Mark's hand rested just above the furry floor, Jack was completely wrapped around the giant's thumb like his life depended on it. Mark chuffed and gently shook his hand. "Come on now. You're down on the ground now." Still no reaction, just an untamed cough. He was only holding on more tightly, and trembling. His breathing did feel quicker though, which Mark noticed as well. But by now, he was completely confused.

"Erm... okay... I understand that I'm warm, and that you're still ill, but we're going have a fire set up in the middle of the floor here." He gestured at the open spot of snow in the center of the cozy room. "So... come on... _líten häna_...?" Jack opened his eyes and seemed to finally notice he was back down towards the ground. He uncurled and slid to the edge of the giant's hand, but when he tried to hop off, his bad leg buckled under him, and he yelped as his face met the thick fur of the floor pelt.

"Oh, gods! Are you okay? I didn't expect you to already be trying to walk again." Mark tried to pick Jack up so he could get him off the ground, but his offer didn't even make it that far. Jack shoved his nearest finger away.

"I'm FINE!!!" He snapped. Then he froze. Mark was staring at him; he looked astounded as well. _Oh shit. Oh shit, what the hell is the matter with me!? He's probably gonna be upset that I talked back and then kick me out or something...!_

But to both his relief and his annoyance, the warrior only cracked a smile and let out a gentle chuckle. "Okay. You're... you're definitely feeling better." Mark cleared his throat and stole a glance at the hut entrance, making sure no one had heard Jack's sharp squeak. "I-I know you're agitated, but..." He trailed off and rubbed his eyes. "But it's going to be fine. Really, I-I mean it. I know that you don't understand me, but that's okay. We just need to find a way to connect, some sort of common tongue, or..." He trailed off again when he noticed how tense Jack still looked. "... Hey." The Irishman flinched when the giant suddenly lay down in front of him, taking up his entire vision as the warrior reached behind him and gently tapped his back. Jack shuddered in the giant's shadow and backed away, only to bump into his immense hand. Mark tilted his head, his brow pinched sympathetically as tiny shoulderblades dug into his palm, feeling the quivers that passed through his entire hand and somehow tingled his own spine; his fingers ached to curl up around the little guy, to comfort him and wrap around him with his own body so that nothing could ever get anywhere near hurting him... but Mark knew that the poor thing was already too shaken for now to understand what he would be doing, so for now he was focusing on keeping a soothing and gentle tone.

"Hey," he said softly, "It's alright... shh... câlmé..." Jack trembled as a huge calloused thumb gently rubbed the top of his head. "You are going to be okay. I promise." Mark was looking the human square in the eye, searching those two ice blue pools for a response, recognition, anything to clue him-- something to be regarded by this alien. "We will heal you. And protect you. And when you're recovered... well... We're not going to just turn you loose in a world that you don't belong in, cha? We'll find a way to get you back to your lands... one way or another." Jack stared back. He was caught in a whirlwind of emotions: Mark wasn't going to let him get hurt; he wasn't selfish or greedy, like Jack had dreaded, but rather he was making the decision opposite that Jack had presumed. 

He was going to help him get home.

Home...

Could he even call the space station "home" ?

He felt his lip quivering, and before he knew it his eyes were stinging, and his vision was all watery as tears started to fall. Mark looked surprised, but then he smiled warmly as he sat back up, scooping Jack up in the process and taking the little guy with him. "It's alright, líten häna." He gently cradled the human against his chest, but he was careful about it so Jack wouldn't scare as he curled up and bawled in the warrior's big arms. "You were brought here for a reason, I'm sure of it. And now we're going to make sure you make it back to your homeland."


	10. Autochthlon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad dreams, old memories, cuddles of comfort in the safety of the night and a certain giant warrior's arms to stave off the cold and mean dream spirits... definitely the formula of a fluffy G/T story, rriiiight~?

By the time the lavender bloom of dusk set upon the mountainous horizon, the village huts were all deftly set up, and everyone settled in for a good night's rest. Amy and Mark kept their fire pit on a low glow as rosy purple turned to inky blue not bright enough to burn the whole place down while smoldering them, but just strong enough to make the shadows dance and warm tongues lick the cold air, so that Jack could rest safely tonight. There was no storm expected, only a clear night sky with the glittering spirits of the ancestors, and the scalding eye of the moon beaming upon the glistening snow. It was a peaceful, soothing night, the perfect weather to cuddle up under a blanket or with your mate.

So Mark was confused when he found himself waking.

At first, he lay there in the quiet darkness, hearing only the chirrups of nighttime birds and bugs, and of course a melodic howl far off in the echoes of the crystalized woods. But then he heard a more immediate sound, which roused him from his sleep. He sat up and turned to Jack's nest, and sure enough he saw the human fidgeting under the covers. The warrior let out a soft sigh. Poor thing. He scooted over to the nest and reached in, sushing softly as Jack whimpered again and shied away from his touch.

"It's alright, it's okay... shh... câlmé, câlmé..." He stroked the small man's head as Jack trembled and panted with fear. His chest heaved faster, and then his eyes suddenly flew open as he sat up with a sharp gasp. Mark quickly retracted his hand, but only so the human could take a few seconds to wake up. His little lithe shoulders shook as he looked around with wide frightened eyes, clearly unsettled by the surrounding darkness.

"It's alright, líten häna," Mark took a chance and whispered comfortingly. His hand approached again, but stayed at the edge of the nest when he noticed Jack flinch. He sighed sympathetically, remembering his troubled nights when he was younger; it was hard to wake up and remember your father was gone, and that you'd never get to hear his voice or feel his touch or smell him ever again. How he missed him...

Perhaps the same had happened to Jack. Mark wasn't sure, but clearly this was more than just a nightmare. His Harmony was unbalanced somehow, plagued by evil spirits that taunted him of past events. How much had the little guy gone through before he fell from the stars?

Mark gently shook his head and moved his hand. The whimpery breaths only got faster as he carefully scooped Jack out of the sea of blankets and pulled him up into the air. He used two hands to transport the human and leaned back, resting him against his chest. Initially, Jack squirmed in protest, fighting weakly against the movement, but after the rollar coaster ride stopped he seemed to settle down. Mark exhaled, letting his thumb ruffle through the human's messy mop of hair. He slowly rocked side to side, moving his thumb down lower to rub circles into Jack's back as he continued to softly hush his whimpers. It took a few minutes, but eventually the shaking and gaspy breaths subsided. Mark smiled a little, relieved to sense these bad signs taper off, and he tilted his hand back a little to check on the human himself. Jack was leaning into the plush flesh that made up his fingers, rubbing his eyes tiredly with one hand while the other was folded tightly against his chest.

"Better?" Mark rumbled. Jack looked up at him, and the giant realized that his eyes were red and puffy, and his cheeks glistened with salty water. His huge heart fluttered with sympathy, and he held the little guy in a gentle huggle again. "It's okay," he murmured quietly. "You don't have to be afraid... It's alright... I've got you." He didn't have to wait long to hear more virulent whimpering from his cupped hands. He sighed and continued rocking, murmuring softly into the chilly darkness of the hut. The fire was getting really low, but he wasn't going to risk removing a hand from Jack just to relight it. He needed it more than the firepit did anyway.

We're getting low on firewood though. Mark glanced at the corner of the hut, past Amy's resting place; there was an excavated pit where the snow was removed and replaced with wood wrapped in animal furs, but it was looking a little sparse for the Frösting season. I'll have to go and get more then, tomorrow.

When silence fell in the hut again, Mark looked at Jack. His hands felt slightly damp from fallen tears, and he noticed that Jack was hunched over and looking down. He tried rubbing the human's head, but upon touch the little shoulders jolted, and he ducked away. Puzzled, Mark tried the back, but the human still pulled away. He sighed and decided not to provoke him. Instead, he moved his hand to grab Jack's blanket, and he offered it to the little human. He gave it a slight glance, and then he pulled it off of Mark's fingers and bundled up under it, to the point where only his tiny head was poking out of the fur. Mark felt a little better about this sight, but he wasn't sure how Jack's mental status was. He turned and kept the human cupped to his abdomen as he scooted back to his sleeping spot.

He lay down and sighed, staring up at the ceiling for some spell of time as he found himself lost in old thoughts that he didn't want to remember. He closed his eyes, but he could still see the memories: A venerable man with peppery hair, warm eyes that still sparkled with youth, and wrinkles from a seasoned smile. He could see his younger self with this man, running through the snow laughing and tussling one of his legs like an immovable pillar; crouching in the brush, shakily holding a huge bow with the string quivering to hold the arrow straight, with the man helping him aim; after his first kill, teaching him how to thank the spirits for the meat that would bolster his people.

And then the Last Day...

Mark opened his eyes and felt warm water leak from them. He let out a shaky sigh and moved his hand, wiping the tears away with a congested sniff. Busy with trying to keep himself presentable and chase away the negative emotions, he didn't notice the tickling sensation coming up his ribcage until his hand over Jack found itself closing on empty air. He lifted his head and found the human perched on his chest, favoring his good leg. They met each other's gazes: Both with wet cheeks and irritated eyelids, both with sorrowful memories engraved in their minds. Both alone in the darkness.

But they weren't alone.

Jack blinked at the giant and made a shivering motion under the mound of fur he had managed to collect around him, which reached down to his ankles and padded him out like a brown marshmellow. Mark noticed this and brought his hand up, carefully using the back of his pinky to wipe some of the smudged tears away from his little cheek. He then moved his finger lower, brushing against hair that was growing longer and forming what seemed like a slightly bigger beard than what he had first come here with. The tousled hair on top of his head looked longer too, save for the sides.

"Come here, líten häna," Mark gently murmured, making a patting motion on the human's back to urge him closer. "You look cold." Jack was cold. As he stumbled down to the warrior's clavicle, Mark could feel the chilly temperature seeping from his dirty socks. He set his head down and felt the human hesitate, so he used his hand to guide him. Jack let out a meep as he was sheperded closer, and then the huge hand gently smothered him right up against the giant's jugular. He froze as the hand gently pat him before lifting away, pulling on his blanket to stretch it out over his fragile body, and then he relaxed as the huge wave of warmth rolled over him and finally hit his senses. He sighed and nestled in the soft crook, hearing Mark's pulse boom softly right in his ear as his humongous heart pumped countless gallons of blood through the immense organism. He could hear the wind whistle as it was sucked down through the trachea, then woosh as it was expelled back out into the rich atmosphere. With every breath he could practically feel the motions of the diaphragm all the way back down toward the ribcage, even though he was nowhere near it. And the body heat: it was almost overwhelming, but at the right Celsius to chase away any trace of cold that would have dared plague Jack's body.

His eyes closed, and he let out a soothed yawn, finding comfort in this new sensation as every fiber of his body relaxed. And when he felt a weight settle over him, gently pinning him and the blanket, his stress levels dropped even further, and the whispers of his bad dreams disippated as he found himself drifting off like a ferry on calm waters during a summer evening.

Mark felt an equal sense of peace steal over him as he slowly closed his eyes and slipped back into sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

"... You mean he walked?" Amy asked with surprise. She had woken to find Mark and Jack sound asleep together, and once Mark had woken she had persuaded him to tell her what happened. And after being filled in on the details, she magnified quite quickly on the fact that Jack had managed to take a few steps without toppling.

"Well, limped, really," Mark gently corrected. "But cha. I would have been surprised too if I-if I hadn't been so tired." He'd left out the part about his crying. Amy didn't need to know everytime he had a weak moment; he was already a bit of an emotional bitch-baby, so he didn't need any more evidence to back that up. [The first time he saw an animal die, he'd cried for a whole week.]

"This is progress though!" Amy sat back with her hand covering her lower face. "I was starting to worry he'd be crippled for life," she admitted.

"He might still be," Mark reasoned cautiously. His hand was still over his neck, where Jack was still dozing peacefully. He didn't want to wake the human, so he was trying his best to keep his voice at a soft baritone. "But at least he could put some weight on it... but I don't know what his stamina is in this condition."

"True, true." Amy turned away to begin sorting through her herbs. "Oh, by the way we need more firewood, could you fetch some after breakfast?"

"Sure." Mark craned his neck in an effort to peek at his sleeping hitchhiker, but he couldn't twist around enough to spot the small organism. He sighed and carefully lowered his hand, cupping the resting shape in his palm. "Can you keep an eye on him then?" He suggested.

"Set him down in there then." She gestured to his nest, and Mark complied. Jack frowned and made a sleepy fuss when the warmth of the giant suddenly faded, but Mark rubbed his little head to coax him. When he was still once more, Mark turned to his mate and gave her a kiss before he exited the tent to fetch something to eat.

A short while later, Mark still wasn't back, but Jack had stirred and was opening his eyes to see the inside of the hut. He let out a sigh and sat up. Thank god, I'm not back there. I'm not stuck up there choking on nothing. I'm down here, on this planet. He looked over and spotted the healer, who was currently mixing some plants up into a paste. Curious, Jack dragged hisself over the rim of his nest and landed on his good foot. He hesitated, looking down at his lame leg. It was still wrapped up in bandages under his sad excuse of jeans, and so was his chest. He shivered and found himself wondering where Mark was, but when he looked back up the giant was nowhere to be found.

He must be outside then. Jack was surprised to find a flicker of anxiety spark in him; not because he was afraid of the giant coming back from nowhere with no warning, but because he felt vulnerable without his presence. But he couldn't dwell on this for long, because he felt Amy's eyes suddenly on him, so he looked over to her.

"You're awake," she observed. Jack sighed and looked away, not wanting to hear some speech about how he should keep off his leg. He risked a limp toward the entrance, stiffening when the pressure applied pain from his calf up, and he almost collapsed. "Easy." She offered her hand, and Jack quickly leaned on it, too tired to shy away. His leg shook as he pulled up onto her fingers. When he was seated, he was mildly surprised to feel how much more petite the woman's hands were compared to Mark's: They were smoother, less toned or muscular, and the tangible layer of skin wasn't as tough and calloused. There was a fragrant on them that was a mix of mild spice and lavender, from her years of work as the tribe's physician. To some noses, it might also be nauseating, but it was pleasant to the Irishman. He did, however, pale as he watched the floor shrink beneath his feet, and he quickly scooted back from the edge despite the ache in his wound.

Amy was observing him carefully. Especially just now, when he moved further onto her palm. She recalled Mark telling her he had done something similar to this when he'd picked him up just the other day. Testing a theory, she lowered her hand slowly, and Jack seemed to relax a little. But then when she brought her hand up even higher than before, she could feel all of his muscles tense up as his face blanched as white as the snow.

"Heights," she murmured curiously to herself. "That would explain last sun why Mark couldn't put him down. He was unconscious all the other times we moved him..." It made sense that a little creature Jack's size would be afraid of seemingly immeasurable distances, so she kindly kept her hand close to the ground as she carried Jack over beside her work. She tilted her hand and let the little guy slide off, but she didn't move her hand until Jack got off so he wouldn't end up on his butt, and possibly making his injuries worse.

"Okay, I'm going to take a look at your wounds," she said. Of course, she didn't expect any answer back from the human, but she thought talking would help him accustomize to her, like taming a dog. Jack still appreciated the heads up though, because fifteen seconds later he was upside down with his backside exposed to the healer's eyes, feeling vertigo as his head rushed with blood.

"It's getting better," Amy praised. She sorted through her supplies and pulled out the bandage strippings. Jack groaned as he was rolled over, and then back, and then back again as Amy wrapped new bandages around his thorax. This, however, also made him squeamish, as he turned out to be quite ticklish and ended up giggling. Amy smiled.

"You definitely seem to be feeling more responsive." She sat him up and reapplied his leg ones. Jack couldn't help but giggle and kick, and she had to hold him down; just as she was finishing up, Mark ducked back in.

"There you are!" She greeted.

"Ethan asked me to go on dawn patrol," he explained, giving her a peck on the head. He grinned when he saw Jack, who was still having a few echoes of his fit. "He looks to be doing alright." Jack stopped dead when Mark suddenly leaned down and nuzzled him. He was frozen in place with wide eyes, trying to contemplate what just happened while Amy giggled.

"He looks so shocked," she snickered. Mark chuckled.

"Yeah. I think he's getting used to me though, right?"

"Hopefully." She rolled down Jack's pantleg and offered him to the warrior. He gladly accepted and held the little guy up at eye level, giving him a toothy smile.

"Hey líten häna, feeling any better?" He cooed.

"Not too high," Amy warned, "I think my idea was right, he's afraid of heights."

"Ohh. That makes sense." He lowered his hands and held the human in his lap. "There was nothing leftover from last night, but the hunting patrol should be back shortly."

"That's fine," Amy replied, "I'm more worried about getting him some food than myself." As if on cue, Jack's stomach complained. He turned red and embarrassedly looked away, and the two giants chuckled.

"It won't be much longer, I reckon," Mark assured.

"Good. Anyway, now that you're back, I've got something to show you." Amy reached under the folds of her blanket and pulled out a small wrap of leather. She unwraveled it, and Jack was curiously straining to see what it was before both his and Mark's eyes widened.

"Aww!" Both of them said, though Jack's was easily muted by the louder commenter. Mark reached over and held up a little, tiny coat made of carefully sewed furs. "It's so tiny!" He cooed. "It- just- look at this!" He held it down for Jack to see. The Irishman was awestruck as well.

"Holy shit!" He murmured. He made to grab it, and Mark let go, allowing the human to gander at the new piece of clothing himself. While he admired the plush new top, Amy handed something else to Mark.

"I haven't made boots yet, but with these he should be warmer by himself."

"Wow! Look, look at this!" Mark held his hand out to give Jack a matching pair of pants. Jack's jaw dropped.

"Whoa...!" He picked them up and inspected them: they both looked a little baggy, but the craftmanship... He thought it was incredible!

"Where- how did you-?" Mark tried to ask Amy as Jack tried on the new clothes.

"I asked Kathryn to help," she admitted, "But I told her they were for a chúlba's toy."

"Creative," Mark remarked, "Are you sure though?" Amy shrugged.

"I... I don't know. I mean, we've already kept this from Tyler."

"But lying... that's different." Mark shook his head. "I don't-I don't know about that. That feels too far."

"It does," Amy agreed quietly, "But we can tell them when the time feels right, can't we? Best case scenario, he gets used to us, and then we can safely tell the tribe that we found him, and that he's completely harmless."

"Yeah... but- it's just..." Mark sighed. "It started out with me just trying not to bother Tyler. I mean, he's just so busy, and I didn't want to undermine his authority. But now... that's just what I'm doing here, isn't it? Gods, I must be dumb to get stuck in a situation like this." Amy reached over and gripped his broad shoulder.

"You followed your instinct. You were just doing what you thought was right. You have a good heart." Mark smiled and put his hand over hers. "And sometimes, you are dumb." Amy smirked. "But not dumb enough to get kicked out."

"Hey!" They laughed together and set aside the transgression when they suddenly heard squeaking. They looked down to see Jack looking right up at them, now clad in the cozy-looking furs.

"Um... G-guys? Er... hey! I'm done now!" Jack had called out. He wasn't exactly sure what had made him talk, but it at least got their attention. Although he wondered briefly if "guys" was appropriate on this planet. Not that it mattered, since they were using a whole different language.

"Aww they look good!" Mark had a pleased smile on his face. "Bet you'll be a lot warmer now even if I'm not around."

"Hopefully. I made sure we used the best pelts possible."

"You're great, Amy." Mark gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"No, not really," she bashfully admitted. But Mark smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"And that is exactly why I fell in love with you."


	11. Lünâewa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Jack currently stable and getting some rest, it's nice to just take a break and join in on a fun night celebrating one of the tribe's ancestral pagans.

"I have a thought," Amy said aloud as the warm glow of the flames danced over her face. The firepit was active, currently boiling a serving of melted snow for safe consumption.

"What of it?" Mark was leaning against Amy, and her against him, as the wind howled like an untamed canine. Between them, Jack was curled up on the warrior's thigh, leaning against his muscle-padded waist as he dozed peacefully under a thick sheet of soft animal fur. The bloody evidence of his latest feast, the blueish purple juice of the alien fruit that was getting to be more and more familiar, still stained his mouth.

"What if we tried something other than berries?" Amy suggested, "His appetite has been growing increasingly; I don't think I've ever seen such a small creature eat so much." Mark let a soft chuckle rumble in his chest as he glanced down at the little human.

"Perhaps so." He rubbed Jack's back, earning a soft sleepy hum as the Irishman shifted comfortably in his sleep.

"Well, we'll have to find something else: He can't eat frozen crépes forever, they'll go bad soon," Amy reasoned. "Besides, he should have something more than just one thing over and over again so he'll regain more energy."

"Cha. And more energy means swifter healing."

"Exactly." They sat in silence for a few minutes, with only the bubbling of purifying water and the pop and crackle of fire to fill the space in the hut. Outside, however, was busy: the moon was full, and so tonight was to be a time of song and dance. They were both already dressed for the occasion: Amy's hair was pushed back over her ears by a thin crown of woven saplings, and adorned with brown and white feathers, as well as bracelets and swirls of violet dye on her light skin, and a more dress-like outfit; Mark had on less metal and no pectoral sleeve to expose the tattoos, but still wore the metallic gauntlets, and his face was stained with redder dye marks, including two lines that ran over his right eye like a bleeding eyebrow.

Eventually, Amy moved her head and gestured for Mark to remove the bowl from the fire. He carefully leaned over their patient and pulled the bowl out, wincing a little at the surprisingly high temperature before carefully setting it down on the surrounding circle of snow.

"Hopefully he'll still have a good sleep," Mark said as he rubbed his hands together, "Dreamwalking will be hard with the Lünâewa celebrations going on." As if to prove his point, someone outside busted a testing drum solo accompanied by a cluster of laughs and yips.

"He's resting quite well at the moment," Amy pointed out with a small laugh. "Leave him to regain his strength. The others will come here soon looking for us." Mark nodded and tilted his leg, letting Jack slide off and right into his hands. Jack let out a few drowsy noises and snuggled his covers as the warrior settled him back inside his nest. He gave the small human a little ruffle of the hair with one finger, murmuring well wishes for a good rest, before turning and following Amy out of the winter hut.

Not far off was the center of the tribe's camps, which was comprised of a clearing and a great mountain of firewood. Gathered around already were the masters of the drums, the horns, the clapsticks, the pan flute, and rhythm and dancing and vocalizing. Mark could already feel a familiar stir of excitement as he spied a group of youths chanting at Ethan.

"Backflip! Backflip! Backflip!" They begged. Ethan laughed as he tried to promise them he would do it soon, but they kept pleading until he finally exclaimed, "Alright alright, I'll do it!" They immediately scooted back as he crouched, thought it out in a few seconds, and then he sprang. The children gasped in awe as he gracefully flipped over, feet arching to touch the stars and kick through the night like water, and then he was back on his feet with hardly a stumble. They squealed with delight and demanded another go. Mark, smiling, decided to step in and save the blue-haired boy from exhausting himself.

"Líten chülbas, how about you all go and see the instruments everyone has out?" He suggested, crouching down to their height with a friendly smile, "I bet if you ask nicely, they'll even let you try them out!" They eagerly chorused their cooperation and scurried off to gander at the ceremonious tools. Mark got back up as Ethan grinned at him.

"Hah, thanks," he greeted, slightly out of breath. "I feel like I haven't done that in a while."

"You're right," Mark smirked, "You're getting out of shape."

"Ha! As if!" Mark glanced over his shoulder to spy Amy with her hand to a boy's forehead. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but the boy sniffled and sneezed at the ground, giving him plenty of indication. Even when she's suppose to be taking time off, she still goes out of her way to help others. His heart hummed warmly with love.

"Is Tyler ready yet?" He asked.

"Not yet." Ethan dabbed at the blue dye on his cheeks, making sure it was dry. "It's not like he participates in anything except overseeing anyway. And the stories. Well, I mean-" An uprise in voices interrupted the aide-de-camp, and they both turned to see that Tyler had finally come out of his hut. Silvery charms jangled against his arms as he came over, nodding to the many whom greeted him. He wore a silvery iridescent headdress of feathers that flowed behind him like a ghostly cloak, and replacing his metal guards were green strips of cloth that wrapped around his forearms and feet, up to his shins. They all tilted their heads respectfully, even Mark and Ethan as he walked up to them.

"Come on, I told you you two don't have to do that," Tyler reminded.

"Serönoba," Mark answered with a smug grin. Tyler huffed and actually smiled before looking to Ethan.

"Everything is ready?" Ethan nodded.

"Cha. Everyone's out here, and the hunters brought back a lot of food." Mark perked at the mention of food.

"Meats?" He asked.

"And nuts and the last of all our berries," Ethan reminded him. Mark gave a nod.

"Good. Plenty of food for everyone." Ethan unhooked a hollow horn from his waistbelt and offered it to Tyler.

"Whenever you're ready, chief!" Tyler took it with a grateful nod and brough it to his lips. When he blew, it emittited a great bellow that stopped everyone from what they were doing. Within a few seconds, he had everyone's attention, and the chieftain gave his friend his horn back before putting his hand up toward the moon.

"Tonight we honor the Eye of Lünâewa, which shines brightly upon us as it does open and close in the night. Ere we feast, we must play our offerings to her so that she may find rest in her place with the stars, before Jeóbien comes to disturb her sleep once more with his bright light."

"What a nice brother for waking his sister!" A young teen guffawed in the back. He was quickly wacked on the shoulder by his mother as chuckles rumbled across the gathered crowd. Tyler grinned.

"We shall begin the dancing, and then feast with stories of our ancestors under her gaze. May she smile down upon you and grant us all the inner strength and wisdom we need. Lünâewa clövandä!"

"Lünâewa clövandä!" They all cheered. And then the drums began to beat. The people whooped and broke away to gather around the unlit bonfire, already swaying to the beat that vibrated in the air.

"May I?" Mark asked Tyler with a knowing smile.

"Be my guest." The warrior held his hand up and closed his eyes. He called forth that familiar heat that churned within his core, coursing it from all of his veins and focusing it into his hand. He felt the heat increase, and then almost a tickling sensation bathed his fingers as, sure enough, a growing flame sprouted to life on them. He wiggled his fingers with a smile, recognizing the feeling, and then he opened his eyes and hurled the fire. The flames landed on the wood like little glowing worms, wriggling innocently before warming up to the branches and bracken and spreading. The tribe cheered and warbled loudly as the beautiful fire engulfed the pile, stretching silhouettes like long-legged shadow demons flickering behind the orange glow. Other instruments joined in, and many began to dance. Some had partners to churn circles of snow with; some clapped or simply offered their voice to contribute to the song, and some simply watched as even they felt the peace sooth their hearts.

Mark watched, smiling and laughing as Ethan was swept up in the choreographed circle by his own mate; his lips flickered in rhythm with the beat, mouthing the drumming of the pelted sticks and beating hands, as did his foot, but he did not get up. Maracas lightly shook as the drums went on to take over the music; feet stamped in unison with the bass; elbows and hands jutted out against the bright orange glow, declaring the freedom that they possessed and proclaiming their love to the white eye hovering high above. The pitch swung from low to high, and the people rose and fell with it, swaying up and then downward. They circled each other and the fire, kicking the ground with a high knee and waving their arms. And when the music calmed, they relaxed, putting forearm to forearm and rounding about their patterns in the snow, still bringing a foot up and down with the occasional low slam of the drum to cast cold white powder up into the air like the winking stars above.

And then Amy plopped down beside Mark. He regarded her with surprise. "You aren't participating?" He asked over the music.

"Are you?" She rebounded casually. Mark smiled and dipped his head submissively.

"Fair point." He watched the dancing shadows for a little bit. And then he asked, "So what will you plan on letting him try next?"

"Probably nuts," she answered, "There isn't much else that's available aside from meat, and he's herbivorous, so..." She shrugged. "We'll just have to see during the feast." Mark nodded. A final drum solo, and then the instruments stopped proudly. The dancers grinned and yipped as the onlookers applauded and cheered them on. Mark tilted his head as he spotted which musicians were getting ready next: A different song began to play, lighter and happier. The drums were lighter pitched and more content, and then the pipes and horns began to play. The warrior then caught a subtle motion of Amy's head bobbing to the beat as the dancers began to tap and swirl, and he grinned.

"Come on." He stood and held out his hand. "We should do at least one dance." She looked up at him for a second with innocent surprise, and then she smiled back and put her petite hand in his large calloused one.

"I suppose you have been dragging me into this for the past... how many moons have we been together?" Mark laughed and guided her to the circle.

"The first was when the flowers finally bloomed." They slipped into the circle. Room was easily made for them, and they went into the same position as the rest of their merry company, tapping and swaying. "You were wearing a flower crown and flower bracelets on your upper arms," Mark recalled as they circled each other, hand to hand. "You were beautiful from the moment my eyes touched you." Amy blushed.

"You tripped and fell in the mud." Mark laughed.

"Because I fell for you!" She giggled as they rounded and bobbed along to the chipper tune. They were side by side, elbow to elbow as they spun and kicked in unison. He circled her as her arms flowed out to show him the way; their hands raised together in a wave of praise. As the music excelled in vigor, he took her by the hand for a brief moment before she spun and reconnected. They locked arms down to the elbow, and then her hand came up to his nape as his slid down to her waist, circling. He swayed, and she followed, her hand coming all the way down to his bicep before she came back up. No mistakes interrupted their spinning tango as they kept their eyes on each other, lost in their own little windows but never faltering in the environment around them. Every and any little signal one gave the other picked up and acted upon, becoming one with the rhythm. They were one with each other.

They were one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been behind on updates! I've been a little sick, but I've finally got the medication to hopefully get better. I do, however, have a proposition: Would you guys like to read a non-canonical story involving some "alternative" characters, even if the plot probably makes no sense because I'm probably delusional at this point? XD


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